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Paris terrorist attacks

Iran’s president cancels trip to Europe after terrorist attacks in Paris

The visit of Hassan Rouhani to Italy, Vatican and France was due to begin on Saturday

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani

© AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

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Death toll in Paris terrorist act may exceed 120 — Paris prosecutor

TEHRAN, November 14. /TASS/. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani cancels his visit to Italy and France after the terrorist attacks in Paris, IRNA said on Saturday.

"Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announced on Saturday morning about postponed trip of President Hassan Rouhani to Italy, Vatican and France following the terrorist attacks in Paris," the agency said in a statement.

The visit was due to begin on Saturday.

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Paris terrorist attacks

A series of terrorist acts took place at six various venues in Paris Friday evening with the use of automatic weapons and explosive devices. Hostages were taken in the Bataclan concert hall where 1,500 people gathered for a rock concert. The president declared the state of emergency in the country and closed the state borders.

Five terrorists, according to preliminary data, took part in the terrorist acts in Paris, the French capital’s prosecutor Francois Molins said Saturday.

Meanwhile, Agence France Presse reported citing sources close to investigation that eight participants of the terrorist attacks were killed. Four attackers died in the Bataclan hall: three activated suicide belts, and one was liquidated by law enforcers. Three suicide bombers activated their belts near the Stade de France stadium. Another terrorist blew himself up near Bataclan, sources said.

Molins also said the death toll in the terrorist acts could exceed 120 people. He said there are confirmed data on the death of overall 38 people at various points in the city close to the Bataclan concert hall where the main tragedy occurred. "The figures are very serious, as, if we add that to the Bataclan death toll, there unfortunately is a probability that the final death toll will reach or even exceed 120."

The Elysee Palace said after an extraordinary ministerial conference led by President Francois Hollande that the French authorities have sent their 1,500-strong unit of servicemen to ensure security in Paris after the large-scale terrorist attack occurred in the French capital on Friday evening.

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Deadly terror attacks in Paris

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Iran Hassan Rouhani Paris attacks

Israeli-Palestinian conflict

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West can’t comprehend Russia’s resilience — Lavrov

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

Israeli troops continue raids in West Bank — TV

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Russian government increases customs duties on beer from unfriendly countries

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Blast rocks military base south of Baghdad — Reuters

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US House passes procedural vote on Ukraine aid bill

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Three Ukrainian soldiers swim across Dnieper to surrender to Russian troops — governor

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Russia’s defense chief inspects production of tanks, flamethrowers at Siberian enterprise

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Swiss parliament votes against joining task force on frozen Russian assets

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