Press TV's News Headlines

'Iran to protect its rights'

Iran says it will not give up the rights of the nation in any talks or meetings amid a flurry of diplomatic exchanges to revive the 2015 deal, known as the JCPOA. The Iranian president says his administration will powerfully continue efforts to resolve the country’s problems and push for its progress. Ebrahim Raeisi vowed not to tie people’s livelihoods to any foreign factor. He said Iran has secured a considerable part of its demands from some other countries. The comments come amid intense speculation about the fate of the JCPOA after Iran provided its written response to the most recent EU proposal to salvage the pact. Tehran says Washington must now show flexibility and take a realistic approach if it really wants a final agreement.

War in Ukraine 

Moving on to Ukraine, where the war is now approaching its seventh month. Moscow says it has destroyed an ammunition depot in Odesa region. The Defense Ministry says the depot contained missiles for US-made HIMARS rocket and other Western-made anti-aircraft systems. According to the ministry, sea-based Kalibr missiles were used in the attack. Ukrainian authorities say five missiles were fired from the Black Sea overnight, adding that air defenses shot down two of them, while the other three hit an agricultural facility. Moscow also says two M-777 howitzers were destroyed in the southern region of Kherson and a fuel depot was struck in the Zaporizhzhia region. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities say the city of Nikopol near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was shelled overnight. 

UK on Saudi rights violations

The UK government is facing calls to act after a PhD student at Leeds University was jailed in Saudi Arabia for using Twitter. Opposition Labour lawmaker, Hilary Benn, has called on Foreign Minister Liz Truss to press for the release of 34-year-old Saudi, Salma al-Shehab. Benn says Britain has a duty to speak out over the case of the mother of two. Al-Shehab was detained last year after returning to Saudi Arabia to visit her family. Earlier this week, an appeals court sentenced her to 34 years in prison followed by a 34-year travel ban for tweeting on women’s rights and retweeting posts calling for the release of imprisoned activists in Saudi Arabia. The ruling has drawn growing global condemnation with activists calling it outrageous and shocking. Al-Shehab says she has been subjected to abuse and harassment during her interrogations. Saudi Arabia has been under fire internationally for its poor human rights record. But earlier this year, Truss declined to criticize the kingdom, saying Riyadh is an important partner of the UK. 

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