China urges the U.S. to fulfill its international obligations as a country where the UN is located and to provide visas to delegates of all countries to participate in the meetings of the organization, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Gen Shuang on Tuesday.
Earlier, Reuters reported with reference to an unnamed U.S. official that the U.S. refused a visa to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who intended to attend a meeting of the UN Security Council on January 9.
“It is the international responsibility of the United States as the host country to provide visa facilities to representatives of all countries to attend UN meetings. We encourage the U.S. to fully assume its host country responsibilities by providing facilities for workers from the countries concerned to attend UN meetings”, – Gen Shuang said at the briefing, commenting on reports that Zarifa’s visa has been denied.
Earlier, the U.S. conducted an operation in Iraq to eliminate senior Iranian General Kassem Suleimani. Zarif, like other members of Iran’s leadership, condemned the United States. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised the U.S. retaliation for killing Suleimani.
The U.S., as the host country of the UN, is obliged to grant visas to all diplomats of UN member states, although it is periodically neglected. Zarif has in the past received a U.S. visa to travel to the UN, but his movements to the U.S. were strictly controlled.