MOSCOW, April 19. /TASS/. Washington is obliged to issue visas to Russian reporters for covering the work of the Russian delegation at the UN Security Council, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"They must issue [visas for Russian reporters], they are indeed obliged to do so because the journalists are not going to cover American life, or American elections, <…> they are going to the United Nations. Russia chairs the organization (the UN Security Council - TASS), and they [the reporters] are a part of this delegation just to cover its work," the diplomat said on the air of Radio Sputnik.

Earlier on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the US had abused its position of the host country of the UN when issuing visas to the Russian delegation to the UN Security Council. Visas were not issued to some members of the delegation, as well as to all reporters. According to Lavrov, the American side did not explain the reason for such a decision.

Russia chairs the UN Security Council in April. The top Russian diplomat will take part in the Security Council meetings on April 24 and 25.