Model of homegrown jumbo jet C929 displayed at aviation conference in Beijing

A model of China's homegrown wide-body jetline, C929, is meeting the public at the ongoing second China Air Transport Association (CATA) Aviation Conference in Beijing, as the country keeps making strides in developing bigger commercial jets.

The twin-aisle jumbo jet, which is in the development stage, represents the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC)'s efforts to break into the long-haul international passenger jet market, after it put the narrow-body C919 and regional jet ARJ21 into commercial operation.

The C929 can carry 280 passengers and fly as far as 12,000 km in one trip, which is roughly 1,000 km longer than the distance between Beijing and New York.

Models of the C919 and ARJ21 jets are also on display at the exhibition, which is part of the conference hosted by the CATA from Friday to Sunday.

"The C919 large passenger jet, since its delivery to China Eastern Airlines, Air China and China Southern Airlines, has entered the new operational stage featuring multiple users and multiple fleets. A total of 11 C919s have so far been delivered, which have accumulated a combined 13,000 flying hours and serviced 700,000 passenger trips. The C929 wide-body jets is in the phase of preliminary design and selecting suppliers," He Dongfeng, COMAC's board chairman, said at the opening ceremony of the conference on Friday.

At this year's exhibition, visitors have the chance of experiencing the fun of flying a plane, thanks to the VR-aided simulated cockpits presented by carriers like China Eastern and Hainan airlines, and an innovated pilot training solution showcased by China Southern for the first time.

"This training aid aims to enable a pilot a better command of the the operating procedure and navigation capability. Its research and development only cost us half of a year. With this success, we can cut down on our training costs by over 50 percent," Yang Lei, general manager of China Southern Group, told China Central Television in an interview.

In addition to the opening ceremony and the exhibition, the second CATA Aviation Conference also features industry forums on topics such as high-quality development of aviation transportation, innovation in smart civil aviation, civil aviation network and data security, and low-altitude economic development.

Model of homegrown jumbo jet C929 displayed at aviation conference in Beijing

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that Iran has obtained extensive documents and evidence linking the recent unrest across the country to the U.S. and Israel, noting that Mossad agents attempted to direct such "terrorist acts."

Araghchi said at a press conference in Tehran that since Dec 28, 2025, Iran had seen peaceful demonstrations organized by industry associations and economic professional. In the following days, more participants joined, and the situation gradually escalated from peaceful rallies into violent clashes.

Beginning on Jan 8, terrorists and armed groups carrying weapons entered protest sites and opened fire on police and civilians, with the aim of steering demonstrations toward violence, bloodshed and chaos, he said.

"Israeli media reports are rife with claims that Israel has designed and conducted operations in Iran. Mr. [Mike] Pompeo, who was Trump's CIA director, said on his X that 'Happy New Year to every Iranian in the streets. Also to every Mossad agent walking beside them.' This clearly shows that Mossad agents attempted to direct such terrorist acts," the minister said. Addressing military threats from the U.S. and Israel, Araghchi said Iran does not seek war but is fully prepared to face up to war. He added that Iran is ready for serious and pragmatic negotiations with the U.S., but the talks must be based on fairness, equality and mutual respect, rather than unilateral pressure or directives from Washington.

On the same day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the U.S. and Israel at a regular press briefing in Tehran. He said the two countries have made "extensive interventionist remarks" regarding Iran's situation, saying such statements are intended to foment chaos, violence and instability.

The spokesman said Iran is closely monitoring the development of the situation and remains fully prepared, warning that Iran's armed forces will respond to any act of aggression by its enemies.

Mossad agents attempt to direct terrorist acts: Iranian FM