WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, February 18, 2017.

Iran to strengthen defense

The Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution has reaffirmed the country’s resolve to keep its missile capability. Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei criticized Western governments for opposing Iran’s plans to strengthen its deterrence. Ayatollah Khamenei said Iran’s enemies want the Islamic Republic to abandon its missile program so that they can bully the nation. He also said Iran must move toward developing whatever it needs for defense purposes even though the entire world opposes this. The leader, however, underlined Iran’s policy not to go after weapons of mass destruction including nuclear arms. He said such weapons are banned under Islamic Shariah but Iran will go after other ones. Elsewhere, Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the need for Iran to stand on its own feet. He said the country has not benefited from trusting foreign countries regarding the nuclear deal. Ayatollah Khamenei made the remarks while addressing a group of people from the city of Tabriz.

Israel’s ‘so-called invincibility’

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the downing of the Israeli fighter jet over Syria crumpled the so-called invincibility of the Zionist regime. Zarif was addressing the annual Munich Security Conference. His speech came hours after the Israeli prime minister used the event to level its previous accusations against Iran. The top Iranian diplomat described as a cartoonish circus Benjamin Netanyahu’s drone stunt in the conference, saying the show did not even deserve the dignity of a response. Zarif went on to say that the Israeli regime uses such accusations to blame others for its own strategic blunders or maybe evade the domestic crisis it’s facing. Regarding the Iran nuclear deal, Zarif reiterated that the country would not be the first to violate the agreement but would respond seriously if its interests are not met.

Gaza funeral

Palestinians have held a funeral for two Palestinian teenagers killed by Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip. People marched in the streets of the city of Rafah where the two 17-year-old teens were killed earlier on Sunday. The Israeli military claims that its troops fired warning shots at a group of people approaching their outpost in a suspicious way. The fatalities follow a flare-up of violence with Israeli warplanes pounding targets in the Gaza Strip since Saturday. The airstrikes have wounded several Palestinians. Israel carried out the raids after an explosive device hurt several soldiers near the buffer zone.

Emirati soldiers ‘killed’

A fresh wave of Saudi airstrikes has killed more civilians in the war torn country of Yemen. In the latest Saudi air raids on its southern neighbor at least two civilians have been killed in the city of Kaft in Sa’ada province. On Saturday, the Kingdom’s warplanes pounded the same province killing a further 20 people. In a retaliatory attack Yemeni forces say they have killed four Emirati troops during clashes in the southwestern city of Ta’izz. The UAE military, which is part of a Saudi-led coalition waging war in Yemen, has confirmed the death of one soldier without providing further details.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk