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Two Iranian diplomates, who were sent as members of Tehran's delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, were "kicked out" of the United States on Saturday, days after they were formally asked to leave, an unnamed US official, cited by Axios, said.
"[State] Secretary [Marco] Rubio means business. Two more members of the Iranian delegation were found still in New York long after the UN General Assembly had passed. They have now been kicked out of the country," the official was quoted as saying by the American news outlet.
The purported development signals the ongoing tensions between Iran and the US as diplomatic efforts to end their war falter and the fears of renewed fighting grow.
According to the American official, the two Iranian diplomats failed to comply with an order issued by the State Department, which had asked Iran's mission to the UN to ensure that its entire delegation leave the US.
The US State Department order was reportedly conveyed to the Iranian mission on Monday, September 28, the same day the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) concluded.
Days later, on Friday, October 2, Washington told the Iranian mission that they had learnt that two members of the visiting delegation were still in New York, the official said. The US subsequently reiterated that the diplomats need to leave immediately, per the Axios report.
While one of them left on Friday night, the other one departed the US on Saturday, October 3, morning, the official told Axios.
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