WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 0900 GMT to 1700 GMT, April 23, 2019.

‘Iran to keep selling oil’

The Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution has brushed aside US sanctions on the country’s crude exports, saying Tehran will continue to sell its oil. Ayatollah Khamenei said Iranian officials will be able to shatter US sanctions if they roll up their sleeves. The leader also warned of retaliation. He said the Iranian nation will not sit idle in the face of US hostile acts and will respond to them. On Monday, the US announced that, as of May, it will not renew sanctions’ waivers that were granted to eight major buyers of Iranian crude six months ago.

Slamming US role

Russia says US policies in the Middle East have plunged the region into a deepening conflict. Sergey Lavrov was speaking at an annual international security conference in Moscow. He criticized the US for violating international agreements on various occasions. Lavrov added that the only solution for the Middle East conflicts can be achieved through mutual trust and strategic dialogue among regional countries. The top Russian diplomat called for collective and coordinated efforts to tackle terrorism and establish long-term peace and security across the globe.

Kim Russia visit

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has arrived in the Russian city of Vladivostok where he will hold his first ever summit with President Vladimir Putin. Kim said he hopes to have successful talk with Putin about efforts to end the nuclear standoff in the Korean peninsula. The summit will be held at a university campus on Thursday. That will be Kim’s first face-to-face meeting with another head of state since his last negotiations with US President Donald Trump collapsed in Vietnam in February. They failed to reach an agreement over North Korea’s nuclear and missile program, after Trump rejected a complete sanctions relief.

Saudi execution slammed

The United Nations human rights chief has strongly condemned the execution of 37 men in six cities across Saudi Arabia. Michelle Bachelet voiced concern about a lack of due process and fair trial in the Kingdom amid allegations that confessions were obtained through torture. She called on Saudi authorities to review counter-terrorism legislation and halt pending executions. Saudi Arabia says Tuesday’s executions were performed in connection with terrorism crimes.

Sri Lanka bomb blasts

Sri Lanka's President has asked the country’s Police Chief and Defense Secretary to resign following Sunday's bomb blasts. The president’s decision comes amid growing anger over authorities' failure to act on intelligence alerts issued ahead of the attacks. The Sri Lankan police chief issued a warning on April 11 that suicide bombings against prominent churches were possible. Alerts were given by a foreign intelligence agency. The government says the information was not shared with the prime minister or other top ministers. The parliament speaker has also accused top intelligence officials of hiding the information purposefully. Police say investigations confirm that nine suicide bombers were involved in the attacks.

Zarif warns US

The Iranian foreign minister says the security and stability of the Persian Gulf is guaranteed as long as Iran’s national interests are served. Zarif warned the US against any measure to prevent Tehran from using the Strait of Hormuz as a safe transit passage for the sale of its oil. He slammed as unprecedented the US behavior for not only violating the binding resolution of the UN Security Council on the Iran nuclear deal, but also threatening other countries for respecting its provisions. Zarif emphasized that the US administration’s maximum pressure tactic will not lead to any change in Tehran’s policies. The top diplomat underlined Iran’s support for multilateralism as basis of global and regional dialogue. He said such an approach can even lead to a non-aggression pact between Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Scotland referendum

Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to hold an independence referendum in two years. Speaking in the Scottish parliament, Sturgeon said Britain’s system of governance does not serve the interests of her country. She said a choice between Brexit and a future for Scotland as an independent European nation should be offered in a referendum, before the current Scottish parliamentary term ends in May 2021. Sturgeon vowed to introduce the required legislation before the end of this year. Scotland voted to remain in the UK during a 2014 referendum by a margin of 10 percent.

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