Shafaq News- Washington

The United States expelled two members of Iran’s delegation to the United Nations after they remained in New York despite orders to leave following the General Assembly, Axios reported on Saturday.

A US official told Axios that the two diplomats had failed to comply with a State Department demand for Iran’s delegation to leave the country. Washington renewed the order on Friday after learning they were still in New York, with one leaving Friday night and the second on Saturday morning.

Separately, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump had given Iran repeated opportunities to reach a negotiated settlement, adding that the US operation against Tehran would not continue indefinitely.

Hegseth also said Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that Washington maintains control of the strategic waterway.

His remarks came amid fresh tensions around the Strait. Iranian state television reported an explosion involving an oil tanker in Hormuz on Saturday, while Iranian state-linked media said the country’s air defenses had hit a “hostile” aircraft over Qeshm Island.