WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, September 25, 2018 to 0800 GMT, September 26, 2018.

No to talks with US

Iran’s president says the country will take tit-for-tat actions against any unilateral measures from the United States. Hassan Rouhani made the comment during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly. Rouhani vowed that violations and threats to the future of the Iranian nuclear deal will be met with reciprocal measures from the Islamic Republic. He stressed that Tehran will take on Washington at every step of the way. The Iranian president once again rejected US calls for bilateral talks. Rouhani called on the White House to respect the UN Security Council resolution that endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal.

US angry at EU over Iran

US officials have criticized European countries over their plan to preserve business with Iran and avoid renewed American sanctions. The US secretary of state made the remarks during an address to anti-Iran group on the sidelines of annual UN meetings. Mike Pompeo also accused the European Union of supporting Iran in its “sponsorship of terrorism”. US National Security Advisor John Bolton also dismissed the EU plan to circumvent US sanctions.

American actor gets jail  

US actor Bill Cosby is sentenced to between three to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman at his Philadelphia mansion in 2004. Cosby, who has been out on bail since his conviction, was immediately jailed. He was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and raping his one-time friend. Cosby was also ordered to pay 25,000 dollars in fines in addition to the costs of the prosecution. The 81-year-old comedian is the first celebrity to be convicted under the “hash-tag me too” movement against sexual abuse. His lawyers say they plan to appeal his conviction, and that he has denied any wrongdoing. More than 50 women have accused Cosby of sexual abuse, but most complaints are too old to prosecute.

France's Macron opposes US's Iran policy

France’s president says Iran should be allowed to keep selling its oil. Macron was speaking to reporters after addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. The French president added that Paris does not believe in Washington’s strategy to isolate Iran. He stressed that Middle East tensions should be solved through dialog and multilateralism.

Trump defends Kavanaugh

The US president says the sexual misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh are a con game played by Democrats. Donald Trump reiterated his support for his pick. He said Kavanaugh is one of the greatest talents from a judicial standpoint in the US. Trump’s remarks come after a second woman on Sunday accused Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct. Deborah Ramirez said the assault took place when they were at Yale University in the 1980s. Kavanaugh already faces a separate allegation of sexual assault made by Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University. Ford and Kavanaugh are to testify before the Senate on Thursday. The Senate is set to vote on Kavanaugh confirmation on Friday.

Preserving Iran deal

The United States’ withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal has taken center stage in the Iranian president’s bilateral meetings in New York. President Hassan Rouhani met with the leaders of Britain, France, Norway, and Belgium on the sidelines of the UN general assembly. He told them that the US pullout from the Iran nuclear deal was an unlawful act. Rouhani said Iran has fulfilled its commitments under the deal. He stressed that the country will remain in the accord as long as the agreement safeguards its interests. The Iranian president said despite Europe’s firm political stance, Tehran wants practical steps by the European Union in preserving the nuclear deal. The European leaders, on their parts, stressed the importance of preserving the international accord, in the face of US pressures.

Gaza economy in ‘free fall’

The World Bank warns that the economy of the Gaza Strip is collapsing due to the Israeli-imposed blockade and US aid cuts. In a new report by the World Bank, Gaza’s economy is described to be in free fall as it experienced a six-percent shrink in the first quarter of 2018. The report says unemployment rate in the besieged enclave is 50-percent and 70-percent of young Palestinians there are jobless. The bank says one in two people in Gaza now live below the poverty line.

US-Canada NAFTA row

The United States says Canada is not making concessions needed for a trilateral North American Free Trade Agreement. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said there is some distance between the two sides on issues such as access to Canada’s dairy market and settling trade disputes. He noted that the US will go ahead with a bilateral revised deal with Mexico if Canada cannot make a decision. Ottawa however says it would walk away from the agreement if it cannot secure the right deal for Canada. The US administration has demanded major changes to NAFTA arguing that the deal causes American manufacturing jobs to move out of the country.

Terror double-standards  

The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has lashed out at certain countries for falsely claiming to be an advocate of the war on terror. Shamkhani made the comments at a regional security meeting in Tehran. He said among the clear examples of these double standards are using terrorism as a tool, and offering support to terrorists. Shamkhani noted that terrorism is a serious and growing threat. On September 22, terrorists opened fire at a military parade in the southwestern Iranian city of Ahvaz. Twenty-five people were killed and dozens wounded in the incident. The Intelligence Ministry says the terrorists, who were killed by security forces, have been identified. Twenty-two elements involved in the terror attack have also been arrested. Daesh Takfiri terrorists and a foreign-backed terror group named National Liberation Movement of Ahvaz have claimed responsibility for the attack.

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