PLA Guard of Honor attends three rehearsals for Russia's Victory Day military parade

A squad of 119 officers and soldiers from the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) have participated in three rehearsals for the Victory Day military parade scheduled for Friday in Moscow's Red Square, pledging to showcase the Chinese army's dignified appearance and movements.

At the invitation of the defense ministries of Russia and Belarus, the PLA has dispatched members of its Guard of Honor squad to participate in the upcoming military parades which will be held in Moscow as well as the Belarusian capital Minsk on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. In Russia, the PLA Guard of Honor squad participated in three rehearsals for the military parade on the evening of April 29 and May 3, and Wednesday morning.

During the rehearsals, the officers and soldiers sang military songs, which were warmly welcomed by Chinese international students in Russia and local residents.

"In order to better display the friendship between China and Russia, we've also learned to perform classic Russian songs 'The Sacred War' and 'Kalinka', and to say ''Long live the friendship between China and Russia, long live world peace' in Russian on the Red Square," said Liu Chao, soldier of the Guard of Honor of Chinese People's Liberation Army.

The PLA Guard of Honor's participation in the Red Square parade this time will not only be a lofty tribute to the friendship between China and Russia in the Anti-Fascist War, but also a solemn defense of the historical justice of World War II, and a solemn declaration of the determination to maintain world peace.

After arriving in Moscow, the PLA Guard of Honor squad, have been carefully refining their preparations and undergone rigorous training to ensure their participation in the event will be completed to the highest standard. The members have even endured an unexpected bout of unseasonal snowfall in the Moscow area in recent days, but say they are well prepared to overcome any such challenges brought by the weather.

"We have learned from our experiences in previous overseas missions, how to best overcome jet lag, adjusting to temperature differences, and to new terrain and environments, as well as adapting our marching steps and speed accordingly. We have also made full preparations to handle any adverse weather conditions or environmental challenges which may arise, so as to ensure we perform at our best during this grand military parade," said Zhang Dingxin, officer of the Guard of Honor of Chinese People's Liberation Army.

PLA Guard of Honor attends three rehearsals for Russia's Victory Day military parade

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that the situation in Iran is "under total control" following violence linked to protests that spiked over the weekend.

Addressing foreign diplomats in Tehran, the foreign minister noted that armed terrorist groups had infiltrated the protests, attempting to divert them from their legitimate course. He claimed that evidence has been gathered showing Iranian security forces being shot at, with the aim of causing further casualties. He accused the United States and Israel of exploiting the unrest to interfere in Iran's internal affairs.

Araghchi further stated that the government is closely monitoring developments on the streets, emphasizing that "the situation has come under control." He also affirmed that internet services, curtailed during the unrest, would be restored after coordination with security agencies.

The government has engaged in dialogue with merchants and protest representatives and initiated reforms to address grievances related to price hikes and currency depreciation. Iran has taken a series of actions and measures to respond to the demands of peaceful demonstrators, the foreign minister said.

Earlier on Sunday, Araghchi said that clear evidence links recent riots and vandalism of public facilities in Iran to the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. This came after former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned Mossad agents operating on Iran's streets in a social media post. The Iranian foreign minister asserted that police are being attacked by "terrorists" acting under the direction of Israeli operatives, whom Pompeo publicly acknowledged.

The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and U.S. sanctions.

Iranian foreign minister says situation "fully under control," accuses Israeli intelligence of stoking unrest