Putin and Xi Hail ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties as Iranian and North Korean Leaders Arrive in Beijing

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday described bilateral ties as "unprecedentedly high" as leaders from Iran and North Korea arrived in Beijing for summit meetings and diplomatic talks.

The gathering, which comes one day before a large military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, underscored growing coordination among states often at odds with the United States and Europe. Putin, speaking alongside Xi, referred to their relationship in close terms as the two leaders sought to project unity after years of closer cooperation that intensified following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who traveled to China Sunday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meetings, met with Xi on Tuesday and criticized proposed United Nations sanctions targeting Iran’s nuclear program as a "double standard." Pezeshkian told Chinese media that the same countries that violated the 2015 nuclear agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, were now arguing that Iran had not fulfilled its commitments, according to Iran International.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also arrived in Beijing, completing the lineup of leaders from Moscow and Tehran meeting with Chinese counterparts. The presence of the four leaders in the Chinese capital highlighted Beijing’s role as a diplomatic hub for states seeking alternatives to Western influence and coordination on regional security and economic matters.

Chinese state media has emphasized the importance of multiparty diplomacy and closer ties among regional powers. For Russia, public displays of cooperation with China and other partners have been a means to mitigate international isolation and to secure political, economic and military ties as Western nations maintain sanctions and diplomatic pressure related to the war in Ukraine.

Analysts say the meetings offer Beijing and Moscow opportunities to align positions on a range of international issues, including trade, energy, and security matters such as sanctions policy and votes at the U.N. Security Council. Tehran’s appearance signals its intent to press its case against further punitive measures at a time when nuclear negotiations with world powers remain fraught.

The visits take place against a backdrop of increasing strategic competition between China and Western countries, particularly the United States. European and American officials have criticized deeper ties between Beijing and Moscow as complicating efforts to pressure Russia over its actions in Ukraine and to counter proliferation concerns involving Iran and North Korea.

Chinese officials have framed the events as routine diplomacy within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and bilateral channels, emphasizing cooperation on economic development and regional stability. Moscow and Tehran have both signaled they will continue to pursue diplomatic and economic avenues with Beijing while managing their respective disputes with Western governments.

The Beijing meetings are expected to produce further bilateral statements and agreements, though officials have given limited public details. The leaders’ coordinated presence in the Chinese capital and the timing ahead of the parade on Wednesday underscore Beijing’s intent to showcase a platform for partners seeking to counterbalance Western policy approaches.