China's Xiamen Airlines has launched its first direct passenger service from east China's Fujian Province to the UK, with a new Xiamen–London route inaugurated Sunday.
With more than 260 passengers onboard, flight MF821 departed in early Sunday morning, marking the province's first direct passenger link to the UK.
"Transferring through Xiamen is more convenient and less time-consuming than going via Beijing or Shanghai," said one of the passengers.
"This is the first time for me. I think it's a good choice for people as well, some people they're missing the airplane; some people they want to stop because [of] the long journey. You know, I think [it's] a good choice," said another passenger. The service runs three times weekly on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with a flight time of about 13 hours, trimming roughly seven hours off the previous transfer routes.
China's Xiamen Airlines launches direct flights to London
Maintaining internal unity and external deterrence are two important means for Iran when facing its enemies, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Sunday.
He made the remarks at an open session of the legislative body in Tehran, stressing that the "era of proportionate responses" has come to an end, according to the Iranian parliament's ICANA news agency.
"The Americans must have understood that the era of proportionate responses has ended. Our strikes against the aggressor's bases in recent operations were only the beginning," Qalibaf said.
"The rules of the game have changed, and from now on, any aggression against Iran's interests and security will receive a faster, heavier, and more painful response," he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday threatened Iran with a devastating response if it attacked Israel and said his government remained determined to bring down Tehran's leadership.
"If Iran makes a mistake and attacks us, it will suffer a blow it cannot even imagine," Netanyahu told ministers at a cabinet meeting ahead of the Jewish New Year.
Tensions escalated between Tehran and Washington recently after the United States carried out strikes against southern Iranian regions, and Iran launched retaliatory attacks on U.S. regional bases. The strikes were followed by naval confrontations between the two sides on Saturday.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran, Israel threaten each other with more strikes if attacked
