WANA (Aug 28) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, along with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, will attend China’s “Victory Day” military parade on September 3, marking Japan’s surrender in World War II.

 

It will be the first public appearance of Putin and Kim alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping, seen as a show of collective defiance amid mounting Western pressure.

 

According to China’s Foreign Ministry, among the 26 foreign leaders set to attend China’s “Victory Day” military parade, no Western heads of state will be present except for Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

 

Russia, which calls China a strategic partner, has faced waves of Western sanctions since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, though its economy has not collapsed. Putin, wanted by the International Criminal Court, last visited China in 2024.

 

Other leaders expected at the parade include Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, and Woo Won-shik, Speaker of South Korea’s National Assembly. UN Deputy Secretary-General Li Junhua will also attend on behalf of the organization.

 

The parade, commemorating the 79th anniversary of Japan’s surrender, is expected to be one of China’s largest in recent years, featuring advanced military hardware including fighter jets, air-defense systems, and hypersonic weapons.

 

Iranian President’s political advisor, Mehdi Sanaei, also announced that Masoud Pezeshkian will travel to China on August 31 to participate and speak at the Shanghai Organization and Shanghai Plus summits, attended by over 30 countries.

 

According to Mehdi Sanaei, Pezeshkian will seek to strengthen bilateral relations and is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with key leaders from other participating countries.

Iranian President Pezeshkian