Russian officials, scholars looking forward to Xi's visit

Russian officials and scholars have expressed their expectations for Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia, saying that the visit will inject new momentum into the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

Xi will pay a state visit to Russia from Wednesday to Saturday and attend celebrations in Moscow marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War, at the invitation of Russia President Vladimir Putin.

"President Xi is a courageous and resolute leader. China, under his leadership, maintains a firm stance in international affairs, which is truly valuable and crucial. President Putin is likewise a trustworthy leader for Russia," said Nikolai Chuikov, vice chairman of the Russia-China Friendship Association.

Meanwhile, some Russians also noted that Xi's attendance at the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War carries exceptional significance. They said they believe that both countries will take this as an opportunity to jointly advocate the correct historical view of World War II, and actively promote world peace and development.

"Russia and China, along with other peace-loving countries, made enormous sacrifices during the World Anti-Fascist War, saving the future and destiny of humanity. Remembering this history is crucial. The Russian side highly acknowledges President Xi's three major global initiatives. China advocates mutual respect among countries for their choice of development paths, non-interference in others' internal affairs, and fostering equal-footed cooperation. Russia fully supports these principles," said Andrey Isaev, deputy leader of the United Russia faction in the State Duma, or the lower house of the parliament.

And the two sides are also expecting more people-to-people exchange activities as the Chinese language is gaining popularity in Russia.

"More and more Russians are learning Chinese and exploring Chinese culture. This year, we will organize two language summer camps, where many Russian students will personally experience Chinese culture in cities such as Beijing and Hangzhou. I believe this visit holds great strategic significance and will further deepen our partnership," said manager of a Russian online classroom for learning the Chinese language.

Russian officials, scholars looking forward to Xi's visit

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