Why it matters:

Considering the holding of two major and important international events in China, namely the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Pezeshkian's trip to China is important both from an international and regional perspective and from the perspective of bilateral relations between Iran and China.

The big picture:

In addition to speaking at two meetings of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Shanghai Plus, the President will hold meetings and summits, including a meeting with the Russian President Vladimir Putin, and make several visits. Pezeshkian will then travel to Beijing and participate in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of World War II and China's victory over Japan, which includes a military parade and a demonstration of the latest modern technologies in the military field.

What he is saying:

Before departing Tehran, President Pezeshkian emphasized the importance of the summit, stating,"The Shanghai summit is a significant opportunity for strengthening multilateralism and regional interactions with countries."

Key points:

• President Pezeshkian arrived in Tianjin, China, on Sunday evening, September 9, 2025, local time.
• He is leading a high-ranking political and economic delegation to the summit.
• The agenda includes a speech at the SCO summit and meetings with the Chinese President and other participating leaders.
• The SCO includes permanent members such as China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, along with observer states like Mongolia and dialogue partners including Turkey and Saudi Arabia.