WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV Newsroom's headlines from 09:00 GMT to 17:00 GMT, January 24, 2018.

Iran denounces Pence

Iran has denounced remarks by US Vice President, Mike Pence, who has accused Tehran of pursuing nukes in a recent address to the Israeli parliament. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Bahram Qassemi, said the Islamic Republic has never been after acquiring nuclear bombs, rejecting the allegation as deception. Qassemi said the 2015 nuclear deal exposed US lies about Iran’s nuclear program to the world. The spokesman also dismissed Pence’s claim that Iran is seeking to dominate the Arab world and is creating chaos in the region. He said the United States is just trying to foster instability in the Middle East in favor of Israel’s evil goals and its agenda of selling arms.

Afghanistan attack

An attack on the base of an aid group in Afghanistan has left at least two people dead and a dozen others wounded. The attack began with a car bomb blast in the city of Jalalabad in the eastern province of Nangarhar. A group of attackers then stormed the office of international charity organization, “Save the Children”. Security forces cordoned off the area and are now clearing the building. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Afghanistan has been the scene of violent insurgency by terrorist groups, including the Taliban and Daesh.

Rohingya repatriation

The United Nations has called on Myanmar to give aid agencies unhindered access to camps it has built for tens of thousands of Muslim Rohingya refugees. The camps are set up for the refugees before they can return to Myanmar after they fled to Bangladesh due to violence by the Myanmar military last year. The UN refugee agency had earlier said that there were restrictions on access for aid groups in Myanmar. Myanmar’s government says it is ready for a gradual repatriation of the Rohingya Muslims from Bangladesh. But many of the refugees are deeply skeptical about returning to Myanmar, where their homes were burned.

Slamming US drone strike

Pakistan has condemned a US drone strike that killed two people in the country’s tribal region near the Afghan border. Pakistan's foreign office said the raid targeted an Afghan refugee camp in the north-western Kurram region. Local officials say those killed in the raid belonged to the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani militant group. US’s frequent drone strikes in countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan have killed many civilians over the past years. Tensions have been on the rise between Washington and Islamabad ever since US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of harboring terror groups. Islamabad has denied the allegation.

Syria rejecting chemical claims

Syria and Russia have rejected US accusation about the use of chemical weapons in Syria. The Syrian Foreign Ministry has described Washington’s claim as lies. Moscow has also reacted to the accusation. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergey Ryabkov, accused the US of promoting unverified reports about the Syrian army’s use of chemical weapons in the country.

Iran thwarting ‘Saudi plot’

Iran’s Intelligence Ministry says it has seized two shipments of bombs, explosives and ammunition in the country’s eastern and western border provinces. The ministry said the first shipment was smuggled into Iran with the help of the Saudi intelligence agency in a bid to carry out terror attacks and destabilize eastern provinces of the country. The second batch, which belonged to a secessionist terror group, was seized in the city of Marivan in Kordestan province. The confiscated shipments include bombs and explosives, TNT, C4, grenades and ammunition as well as equipment for making bombs.

Turkey Syria invasion

The Turkish president has vowed to press ahead with the military offensive in Syria, saying the operation will continue until all Kurdish militants in the Afrin region are killed. Recep Tayyip Erdogan went on to hail the operation as a success. He said the Turkish military are step by step taking control of the Afrin region. The Turkish president also urged the international community to support Ankara in its struggle against the Kurdish militants in northern Syria. Meanwhile, a UK-based Syrian Observatory group says the five day operation has left dozens of people dead on both sides, including many Kurdish militants. 28 civilians are among those killed in the Turkish shelling and airstrikes in the Afrin region. Two others lost their lives in the YPG shelling of the town of Azaz.

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