The summit highlights Tehran's growing relationship with Beijing — and Moscow — following its recent conflict with Israel, which was joined by the United States in attacking Iranian nuclear sites. China's support provides Iran with crucial economic and military backing that stands to weaken U.S.-led sanctions and containment efforts.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that Brazil, China and India will face secondary sanctions from the US if Russia doesn’t negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine, and said they should lean on President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire.

Russia, Iran and China are behind a growing number of life-threatening operations in Britain including attacks and kidnappings, often deploying criminals and sometimes children as proxies, two senior British police officers said on Tuesday.

Angela Stent, senior fellow at Brookings Institution, says Russian President Vladimir Putin counted on Chinese President Xi Jinping's support when he invaded Ukraine – and continues to count on Beijing's economic support and diplomatic support on a global stage.

In May EU leaders said they were ready to “work hand in hand” with China to deal with “common challenges”. But the Europeans’ short-lived friendliness was as much an attempt to manipulate the Americans as it was an attempt to woo the Chinese,

China hit back at "illegal unilateral sanctions" after U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said Beijing would be among those to feel the pain of his proposed legislation, which would slap up to a 500 percent secondary tariff on those trading with Russia.

Japan has warned of escalating military threats from China in a new defense report. The report highlights China's growing military activity near Japan’s southwestern coasts and the Pacific as a major strategic challenge.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is visiting China for a foreign ministers meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.