Abbas Arakchi denies U.S. deportation of Iranian diplomats

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakchi has denied reports that two Iranian diplomats were deported from the United States following the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The denial follows a report by the news platform Axios, which cited an unnamed U.S. official claiming that two members of the Iranian delegation were sent away under instructions from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio because they failed to leave the country within a specified timeframe.

Arakchi addressed the claims on social media, stating that, with the exception of one individual who departed early, all Iranian diplomats attending the UN General Assembly left the U.S. as planned. He criticized the allegations and the reported actions of Secretary Rubio, characterizing the situation as a sign of “desperation and defeat” and noting that such conduct is inconsistent with the obligations of the United States as the host nation of the United Nations.