Chinese Air Force representatives visit Cuban veteran pilots in Havana

A gathering was held in Havana, Cuba on Friday, bringing together representatives of the Chinese Air Force and over 10 retired Cuban pilots who received training in China.

The event was attended by the Chinese ambassador to Cuba, the commander of the Cuban Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force, and other guests.

In the conference hall of the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces' foreign affairs bureau, the Chinese Air Force delegation met with Cuban veteran pilots.

"I think the best thing that has happened to us is the full, selfless and united training we received from this great country China. [switch to Chinese] Long live, the Communist Party of China and the Communist Party of Cuba! Thank you!" said Henry Perez, one of the Cuban pilots.

At the event, senior colonel Li Hongpeng, representing the Chinese Air Force, read out a handwritten letter from Chinese instructors who had trained the Cuban pilots flight skills.

Some Chinese instructors who participated in teaching or translation work extended their greetings to the Cuban pilots via video link.

The Chinese Air Force prepared gifts such as calligraphy works and framed photos for the Cuban pilots.

Mario Rodriguez Penaranda, commander of the Cuban Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force, and Hua Xin, Chinese Ambassador to Cuba, delivered speeches at the event, recalling the friendship the two sides have forged.

"In the first years after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the support provided by the Chinese brothers for the training of our military personnel and the strengthening of our defensive capacity was decisive," said Rodriguez.

"The Chinese Air Force traveled all the way to visit Cuban veteran pilots who had trained in China, bringing both sides together for a reunion of special significance. This moment represents a teacher-student bond that has spanned half a century, an unbreakable fellowship, and enduring comradeship!" said Hua.

In 1961, 223 young Cubans were selected and sent to China to learn piloting and aircraft repair skills.

After completing their studies, they returned to their country in 1963 and became the backbone of the Cuban Air Force.

Chinese Air Force representatives visit Cuban veteran pilots in Havana

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Saturday that nuclear power plant sites or nearby areas must never be attacked, following a fourth strike near an Iranian nuclear power plant.

The IAEA said on social platform X that, according to the information from Iran, a projectile hit the nearby area of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on Saturday morning. This was the fourth such incident in recent weeks, it said.

One staff member at the site was killed by a projectile fragment, while a building on the site was affected by shockwaves and fragments, the IAEA said, citing the Iranian authorities. There was no increase in radiation levels reported, it added.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed his deep concern about the incident, stressing that nuclear power plant sites or nearby areas "must never be attacked." He warned that the auxiliary site buildings may contain vital safety equipment.

Grossi once again stressed the paramount importance of ensuring nuclear safety and security during a conflict, calling for maximum military restraint to avoid the risk of a nuclear accident.

Iran's nuclear facilities have been struck several times since the joint Israeli-U.S. military actions against the Islamic Republic started on Feb. 28.

Nuclear power plants must never be attacked: IAEA chief