Daily look at Iran’s late-breaking news and upcoming events:

 
FM Zarif terms US world’s top military spender, blasts Pompeo for anti-Iran remarks
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message on Saturday said while the United States has been the top military spender and arms seller in the world, its secretary of state Mike Pompeo is worried about Iran.

IRGC Navy warned US to leave drill area, will pursue them: Commander
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy chief has said a recent incident with US forces in the Persian Gulf happened as they entered a drill area despite despite having been warned in advance not to approach it.

 
Shamkhani reacts to German ban against Lebanon’s Hezbollah
In reaction to German ban on Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Rear Admiral Shamkhani said that suppliers of chemical weapons to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein have become defenders of human rights and call Lebanon’s Hezbollah as ‘terrorist’ for fear of its child-killer friend.

 
President lauds Iran Central Bank’s efforts to meet basic demands
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani praised the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) for its efforts to cope with the domestic demands and provide the necessary funding amid the severe international conditions.

 
Baseless US claims aim to obstruct Venezuela’s oil plans amid sanctions: Iran
Iranian Foreign Ministry has dismissed “baseless” allegations made by an American diplomat about the Islamic Republic’s trade ties with Venezuela, saying such claims are aimed at creating obstacles in the way of the South American country’s plans in the oil sector amid the cruel US sanctions.

Iran Speaker sympathizes with Pakistan over COVID-19 deaths
Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani wished his Pakistani counterpart speedy recovery from the novel coronavirus, and expressed solidarity with the neighboring Muslim nation amid the pandemic.

 
Iran coronavirus deaths rise by 65 to 6,156
Iran’s death toll from new coronavirus increased by 65 in the past 24 hours to 6,156 on Saturday, Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said in a statement on state TV.

 
Pakistan FM lauds Iran Leader’s ‘continued support’ for Kashmir
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has lauded the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for his “continued support” for the people of the Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir.

‘Informed Source’ denies Iranian guard general killed in Israeli attack
An Iranian news agency on Saturday denied Arab social media reports claiming Brigadier General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, Commander of the Guards’ Aerospace Force, had was in an Israeli strike in Syria on Friday.

Issuance of sukuk securities authorized to fund oil, gas projects
The First Vice President, Eshaq Jahangiri, signed off on the executive bylaws for the issuance of Islamic compliant securities (Sukuk) in the calendar year of 1399 (which began on March 20) to be enforced by the relevant organs.