New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani continues to demonstrate that he’s no friend of the United States.
In fact, some are beginning to believe he’s working against our country and should be held accountable for it.
Case in point: A planned diplomatic meeting involving one of his administration’s top officials has sparked new questions about the direction of the mayor’s international agenda after federal officials reportedly stepped in before it could take place.
The planned meeting was supposed to take place between a senior member of Mamdani’s administration and Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations.
But it was canceled after the U.S. State Department intervened, according to a report by City Journal.
The canceled meeting has drawn scrutiny not only because of who was expected to attend, but also because of new reporting alleging the city’s international outreach has increasingly focused on foreign leaders who oppose the Trump administration’s policies and worldview.
The report states that Ana María Archila, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, had been scheduled to meet Tuesday morning with Amir-Saeid Iravani, Iran’s permanent representative to the United Nations, at U.N. headquarters in New York.
According to City Journal, screenshots of a calendar invitation were reviewed by the publication and the planned meeting was confirmed by multiple sources familiar with the matter.
A State Department official also confirmed to the publication that federal officials became aware of the planned engagement.
According to the report, the State Department was not notified in advance of the meeting and subsequently met with members of the Mamdani administration to clarify what it described as acceptable conduct.
The meeting was then canceled.
City Journal further reported that Archila allegedly did not inform Mamdani about the planned meeting beforehand.
According to a source cited by the publication, Archila was reprimanded and directed to cancel the meeting.
Neither the mayor’s office nor Archila has publicly confirmed those allegations.
The report also cited an internal April 16 message that allegedly instructed staff in the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs to prioritize diplomatic engagement in part based on whether foreign officials were “in political alignment/leftist.”
According to City Journal, the message aligns with previous reporting by the Spanish newspaper El País, which reported that Archila has focused on strengthening relationships with foreign leaders who share Mamdani’s political worldview.
The Mayor’s Office for International Affairs traditionally serves as New York City’s liaison with the diplomatic community, promotes economic relationships and facilitates cooperation with foreign governments and international organizations based in the city.
The office does not set U.S. foreign policy, which remains the responsibility of the federal government.
Archila was appointed commissioner after a career in progressive political activism, including serving as co-director of the Working Families Party.
The Mamdani administration has frequently commented on international issues.
Following U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran earlier this year, Mayor Mamdani described the operation as “a catastrophic escalation in an illegal act of war of aggression.”
He has also been an outspoken critic of Israel’s government and its policies.
According to City Journal, the administration’s international outreach has included attempts to build relationships with left-leaning foreign leaders.
The publication also reported that a planned meeting between Mamdani and Colombian President Gustavo Petro did not occur after the U.S. State Department declined to issue Petro a visa.
In addition, Archila reportedly traveled to Barcelona earlier this year to attend a conference hosted by the Party of European Socialists, The New York Post reported.
