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 25, 2018.

Rouhani reaction to US

Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, has called on the United States to pull out of the Middle East, saying American forces are the main source of instability in the region. Rouhani branded the US army as a mercenary that only fights if it is paid by regional countries. The president lashed out at Washington for its violations of the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA. He said the US has failed to live up to its commitments under the landmark agreement, therefore does not have the right to talk about its future. Rouhani mocked US President, Donald Trump, for calling the deal flawed, saying Washington should have not signed the accord, if it was terribly bad. He noted that the deal proved that Washington’s claims about Tehran’s nuclear program were sheer lies.

US army policy

The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council says increasing US arms sales to the Middle East has transformed the region into an explosive barrel. Speaking at an international security conference in Russia’s Sochi, Ali Shamkhani underlined that Washington uses Iranophobia as a false pretext to trigger a regional arms race. He pointed out that the US sells over 70 percent of its weapons production to countries in this region. The senior official noted that such a vital line of economic profitability for the US is the engine behind all regional conflicts. Shamkhani said Washington’s distinct approach is to create insecurity and de-stabilization in the Middle East. He said the ultimate objective of such a policy is to expand the American military presence and at the same time interfere in the internal affairs of independent states.

Syria solution

The European Union stresses that a political solution under the UN auspices is the only way out of the crisis in Syria. The top EU diplomat was speaking at an international conference on the future of Syria. The two-day summit kicked off in Brussels on Tuesday. It’s co-chaired with the United Nations. More than 85 countries, aid groups, and UN agencies are in attendance. According to the EU, the conference aims to push for a political solution to the crisis in Syria. It also discusses ways to improve the humanitarian situation in the war-torn country.

EU backing Iran deal

The European Union’s foreign policy chief says the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 group is working and must be preserved. Federica Mogherini made the comments upon arrival for a Syria donor conference in Brussels. Meanwhile, Russia says there is no alternative for the current Iran nuclear deal. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the deal was the meticulous work of a number of countries. He added that Moscow supports the current Iran deal as it is today.

Russia Syria strategy

Russia says it is planning to deliver new air defense systems to Syria in the near future. Russia’s defense ministry also said that it’s studying a US Tomahawk cruise missile captured by Syrian forces in a recent attack in order to improve Russia's own missiles. Moscow says Russian servicemen also captured two UAVs belonging to foreign-backed terrorists. Russia has warned that the recent US-led attack on Syria removed Moscow’s moral obligation to withhold the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system from the Arab country. Earlier, Israel’s ministry of military affairs threatened to destroy the Russian-supplied missile system to Syria if it shoots down Israeli warplanes.

France JCPOA stance

French President, Emmanuel Macron says his country will not leave the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Macron stresses that the signatories of the agreement cannot say they should get rid of the landmark accord. Addressing a joint session of the US congress, Macron, however, renewed his call for a new comprehensive deal with Iran. He said all sides should strive to avoid new wars in the Middle East. Macron was speaking a day after he met with his US counterpart Donald Trump, who renewed his threats against Tehran. Earlier, the Iranian president ruled out the possibility of any changes to the nuclear deal. Hassan Rouhani questioned the legitimacy of Trump-Macron efforts to broaden the deal’s terms.

Slamming Saudi assassination

The Yemeni people hold a massive rally in the port city of Hudaydah to condemn the assassination of a political leader of the Ansarullah Movement. The rally is being held two days after the Ansarullah Movement confirmed that Saleh al-Sammad and six of his companions lost their lives in a Saudi airstrike on Hudaydah. The incident happened last Thursday. Saudi Arabia has claimed the responsibility for killing the head of the Ansarullah Supreme Political Council. The leader of Ansarullah Movement, Abdel Malik al-Houthi has pledged to take revenge against the Saudi kingdom.

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

www.presstv.co.uk