The Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, announced that the United States did not issue a visa to Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov, preventing his participation in a recent UN Security Council meeting. This statement was made during the session, which was chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Nebenzya described the denial as a violation of the US’s obligations as the host country of the UN headquarters. He emphasized that Alimov, who is responsible for UN-related matters, had been invited by Wang Yi to attend the meeting.
In a related development, a UN diplomat indicated that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was also reportedly denied a visa for the same session. The primary focus of the meeting was on adherence to the UN Charter and the strengthening of multilateral cooperation.
Nebenzya criticized the situation as a “blatant display of disrespect” towards the Chinese presidency of the Security Council. He stated,
“Despite all our efforts to persuade the American side to issue him a visa, it ultimately was not granted.”
The ambassador further pointed out that according to the “Headquarters Agreement of the UN,” access to the organization’s headquarters in New York should be guaranteed to all officials of member states without exception.
UN spokesperson Farhan Haq confirmed during a briefing that Araghchi was not in New York and was unable to hold a scheduled meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres. However, he noted that he was unaware of the reasons for Araghchi’s absence.
Reuters reported that neither the US State Department nor the permanent missions of the US and Iran to the UN provided immediate comments regarding the situation.
The Russian ambassador to the UN has accused the US of denying a visa to Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov, impacting his attendance at a crucial Security Council meeting. This incident raises questions about diplomatic protocols and the responsibilities of host nations under international agreements.
Source: Reuters