A diplomatic scandal is unfolding in the halls of the UN General Assembly, described as a violation of the fundamental principles of the international organization. Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, stated that Washington denied an entry visa to Alexander Alimov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. The diplomat was scheduled to attend an important Security Council meeting dedicated to the observance of the UN Charter and issues of multilateral cooperation.
The meeting was initiated by China, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council. Beijing officially invited the Russian official, but US immigration services blocked his trip. Nebenzya called the US actions a sign of disrespect for China's presidency and a direct violation of the UN Headquarters Agreement, which obliges the host country to ensure unimpeded access for delegates.
UN Secretary-General spokesperson Farhan Haq confirmed that the host country is obliged to issue visas to all participants of the organization's events. He emphasized that any obstacles to access to the headquarters in New York are unacceptable. At the same time, representatives of the US State Department, as well as the missions of China and Iran, have so far refrained from official comments on this incident.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that, according to diplomatic sources, similar problems have arisen for Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqi. He was also unable to arrive in New York and did not meet with António Guterres as previously planned. Haq confirmed the cancellation of the meeting but did not disclose the reasons for the Iranian minister's absence.
This incident occurs against the backdrop of heightened international tension. Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in a phone call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, warned of the risks of new attacks on Kyiv and recommended that foreign diplomatic missions consider evacuating their personnel. Now, the issue of access to the UN podium has become another point of diplomatic disagreement between Moscow and Washington.
