Israel, Saudi 'directing' Trump : Iran

Tehran, Oct 16 : US President Donald Trump's recent anti-Iran speech was under the influence of lobbyists from Israel and Saudi Arabia, Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said.

It was clear that the Zionist regime of Israel and some countries like Saudi Arabia have played a major role in writing Trump's speech and directing him, Larijani was quoted as saying on Sunday by Press TV, Xinhua reported.

Trump's aggressive rhetoric was aimed to cause commotion and prevent international economic cooperation with Iran, he added.

On Friday, the US President refused to certify Iran's international nuclear deal and accused Tehran of sponsoring terrorism, saying that he would deny Iran's "all paths to a nuclear weapon".

Accordingly, Saudi Arabia and Israel welcomed the new strategy towards Iran announced by Trump.

Iran has insisted that its nuclear energy programme is aimed at civilian purposes.
Typhoon Khanun makes landfall in China
 (10:16)
Beijing, Oct 16 (IANS) Khanun, the 20th typhoon this year, made landfall on Monday in China's Guangdong province.

According to Guangdong Flood Control and Drought Relief headquarters, by Sunday evening, more than 368,000 people within heavily affected areas in the province had been relocated, 188 scenic spots in the cities of Zhanjiang, Maoming, Yangjiang and Jiangmen were closed with over 38,200 tourists evacuated, and more than 48,300 fishing boats were pulled ashore.

In Zhanjiang, work at all 459 construction sites were suspended, and schools and ferry ports had been ordered to shut down, reports Xinhua news agency.

In neighbouring Fujian province, 17,152 ships with 28,691 crew members returned to port as of Sunday, while 4,041 coastal residents have been evacuated. Local authorities also closed 51 tourist attractions and 547 construction sites.

The typhoon has considerably weakened upon reaching the land as during its passage over the sea, Khanun's eye sustained winds of up to 140 km per hour.

Typhoon Khanun is expected to move towards Canton Province and Hainan Island before turning southwest towards Vietnam.