U.S. Requests Early Departure of Iranian Delegation from United Nations Session

Why it matters locally: As the nation's capital, District of Columbia is home to numerous foreign embassies and diplomatic missions, making federal foreign policy decisions, like the request for an early departure of a foreign delegation, a regular aspect of the city's diplomatic landscape.

WASHINGTON D.C. – A U.S. official confirmed that the United States requested the Iranian delegation attending the United Nations session in New York to depart early. This development occurred following the delegation's attendance at the United Nations General Assembly. Senator Marco Rubio's office stated on social media that he initiated the move to have the Iranian delegation leave the U.S. ahead of their scheduled departure. The senator’s office referenced the delegation's activities during their time in New York. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, rejected the characterization of the delegation's departure as an expulsion. Kanaani stated that the delegation's visit had concluded according to its pre-arranged schedule. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian reportedly left New York on Friday morning, October 20. The U.S. official indicated that the request for early departure was communicated directly to the Iranian delegation. The exact reasons for the request were not detailed in the official's statement.