WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, April 23, 2017.

Saudi crimes in Yemen

The death toll from Saudi Arabia’s assault on a wedding ceremony in Yemen has risen to 33. According to Yemeni media, 55 civilians were also wounded in the raid in Hajjah province. Saudi warplanes even targeted ambulances to prevent them from reaching ground zero. In another assault, a family of five, with three children, was killed in strikes on Midi district. Saudi Arabia launched a war on its southern neighbor back in March 2015. Since then, over 14,000 people, many of them women and children, have been killed. The war has also severely damaged Yemen’s infrastructure and caused a humanitarian crisis.

‘Egypt behind crisis’

Human Rights Watch says Egypt's military operation against Daesh in North Sinai is creating a humanitarian crisis there. In a report, the rights group added that the offensive launched against the terrorists on February 9 has left up to 420,000 residents in urgent need of humanitarian aid. The Egyptian army started a major operation after President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi issued a three-month deadline in November 2017 to uproot Daesh in Sinai. The military says it has evidence that the Takfiri terrorists are seeking to move to Sinai following defeats in Iraq and Syria. The terrorists have killed hundreds in the region since the ouster of the country’s former president, Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

No to Iran deal revision

Russia and China say they would try to block any attempt by the United States to sabotage the nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries. Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov and Wang Yi made the pledge at the end of their meeting in China. Lavrov told reporters that Moscow and Beijing are against revising any international agreement. He said the two countries think the US withdrawal from the JCPOA would be counter-productive as it reduces years of talks to zero. Iran’s foreign minister has also urged the European signatories to the deal to encourage President Trump to stay in the deal and begin implementing Washington’s part of the bargain. Earlier, a top UN diplomat called on all parties to the Iran deal to comply with the terms of the agreement.

US ‘war plans’

A senior Iranian military commander says the United States has created a large-scale crisis in West Asia by supporting the Daesh terror group. Chief of Staff of Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri said Washington and its allies are providing the grounds for war by sending arms to different countries, including Saudi Arabia. He said foreign military presence and interference in the Indian Ocean have destabilized the region, citing the Saudi war on Yemen as an example. Bagheri also criticized the recent attack on Syria by the US, France and Britain, stressing that some world powers are trying to create chaos in the world through the use of force. Major General Bagheri made the remarks during the opening ceremony of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium in Iran. Navy chiefs from 35 countries are taking part in the event in the capital Tehran.

Armenia premier quits

The Prime Minister of Armenia has resigned following days of mass protests by the opposition against his election. An official news agency has released a statement by Serzh Sarkisian's office saying he is leaving the post as the country's leader. It also quotes Sarkisian admitting to making a mistake in taking up the position. Last week, lawmakers elected Sarkisian as prime minister. The move triggered large-scale demonstrations and led to the arrests of opposition figures. Opponents say Sarkisian's election was designed to extend his rule under a new parliamentary system of government. Sarkisian had already served two terms as president.

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