Tehran: Iranian parliamentarian Amirhossein Sabeti has filed an impeachment motion against Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi over his reported contacts with US officials during last month’s United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Sabeti said he had registered the motion through parliament’s electronic system and requested Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to refer the matter to the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission for review.
According to the text of the motion published by Iranian state media, Araghchi’s reported meeting and contacts with American officials were among actions allegedly carried out “without permission from the leader.”
The motion calls for the parliamentary commission to examine the allegations with Araghchi and the lawmakers seeking his impeachment. It cites provisions of Iran’s Constitution and parliament’s internal regulations in support of the request.
Sabeti specifically pointed to Araghchi’s contacts with US officials during his New York visit as the latest instance of what he described as diplomatic actions taken without consultation with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
The move follows earlier criticism of Araghchi over his reported interaction with US envoy Steve Witkoff on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on September 22.
Iranian news agency Tasnim previously reported, citing information obtained by one of its reporters, that the contact between Araghchi and Witkoff took place without coordination or approval from Iran’s relevant policymaking bodies, including the Supreme National Security Council.
The dispute has raised questions over the scope of Araghchi’s authority to engage directly with US officials. At the centre of the controversy is whether the foreign minister had been authorised to hold direct discussions with American officials or had instead been instructed to convey Tehran’s positions and conditions through intermediaries.
The impeachment motion does not automatically mean that Araghchi will be removed from office. The parliamentary commission would first be required to examine the allegations and determine whether further action should be taken.