A U.S. State Department spokesperson said on Friday that it had expelled two Iranian diplomats who remained in New York after the UN General Assembly adjourned, citing a directive for them to leave. The statement appeared on the agency's website and was reported by AFP.
Iran's foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted on X on Sunday that all Iranian diplomats, except one who departed earlier, had left the UNGA on schedule. He called the U.S. claim an "ooze of desperation and defeat" and criticized the move as inconsistent with UN host obligations.
The spat comes amid a stalled Iran‑U.S. diplomatic effort to end the February 28 conflict that has left thousands dead and displaced families across the region. US President Donald Trump earlier rejected Iran's seven conditions to open the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint that the two sides have fought over.
Araghchi warned that if the U.S. continues to pursue military confrontation, Iran would respond with stronger force, citing the need for negotiations based on justice rather than sanctions. The U.S. State Department has reportedly expelled the remaining diplomats, a move that could further impede the ongoing negotiations.