WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, September 16, 2017.

Iran EU call

The Iranian president has called on the EU to pile up pressure on the US to fully implement the landmark nuclear agreement. Hassan Rouhani made the call during a meeting with visiting Belgian parliament speaker, Siegfried Bracke. Rouhani stressed that all signatories to the nuclear deal should remain committed to it. He once again reiterated Iran’s full compliance to the deal. The Iranian president further added that the International Atomic Energy Agency is the only organization to verify the Islamic Republic’s adherence to the agreement, which was reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015. Bracke, for his part, stressed that Belgium would make all efforts in the European Union to maintain the deal. The two sides also underlined the need for the expansion of bilateral ties.

Fight against Daesh in Iraq

Iraqi forces have launched an operation to purge Daesh terrorists from the town of Akashat near the border with Syria. An Iraqi military commander says the offensive is aimed at securing parts of the border and the area near a highway that links the capital Baghdad to neighboring Jordan and Syria. Akashat is a small town in Anbar province, located south of the Daesh-held towns of Qa’im, Rawah and Anah. The terror group has been driven out of most of the territories it seized in 2014. In July, Iraqi forces fully recaptured the city of Mosul, Daesh’s self-proclaimed “capital” in the Arab country.

Catalonia independence vote

More than 700 Catalan mayors have marched in Barcelona, the capital of Spain’s Catalonia region in support of an upcoming independence referendum. Catalan regional president Carles Puigdemont and several other top officials also joined the rally. The mayors are under investigation by Spain’s government for cooperating with the referendum which Madrid vehemently opposes. Meanwhile, armed police have raided several newspaper offices and printing companies in Catalonia in recent days searching for voting papers, ballot boxes and leaflets. Police managed to seize large sums of advertising material during the hunt. On Thursday, Catalonia launched its official campaign for the vote due to be held on October the first. Madrid says the referendum is illegal.

London attack arrest

The British police say they have made a significant arrest following a Daesh-claimed bomb explosion at a London subway train station. According to the police, they have arrested an 18-year-old man in the southern port city of Dover under terrorism act. Britain has already beefed up security following Friday’s blast. There has also been an increased presence of military troops in the capital. This as security forces are still investigating the incident, which left nearly 30 people injured. Officials say an improvised explosive device triggered the blast. Reports say the device had a timer. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Theresa May has announced that the national threat level has been raised to critical from severe.

Plight of Rohingya Muslims

Bangladesh medical facilities are coping with Rohingya Muslims who have been arriving in the country with injuries sustained in the army crackdown back at home. Officials say the main medical center in the city of Cox’s Bazar has set up a separate facility, especially for Rohingya Muslims coming into the country. Hundreds of Rohingya Muslims have been killed and hundreds of thousands have been displaced since Myanmar’s security forces launched their crackdown last month. Many people have sustained injuries while fleeing to Bangladesh to save their lives. They say they left behind all their properties to be able to cross the border.

North Korea seeks equilibrium with US

North Korea says it will complete its nuclear program despite tensions with the US and its allies. North Korean media have quoted the North Korean leader as saying that Pyongyang is nearing its goal of equilibrium in military force with the US. Kim Jong-un has also expressed great satisfaction over the country’s latest missile launch. He stressed that the move verified the combat efficiency and reliability of the missile and the success of efforts to increase its power. The announcement comes a day after Pyongyang launched a missile over Japan that landed in the northern Pacific Ocean. The missile was fired only days after the UN Security Council slapped new sanctions on Pyongyang over its sixth and largest nuclear test.

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