A selection of the latest news stories and editorials published in Iranian news outlets, compiled by the AEI Critical Threats Project's Iran research team.

• National Security and Foreign Policy Parliamentary Commission member and former Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commander Brig. Gen. Mohammad Email Kowsariclaimed that Iran had not received the funds it was promised under the Joint Plan of Action: “In the negotiations we were supposed to receive $4.2 billion of our own money in return for downgrading our fuel from 20 percent, yet we still have not seen a single dollar of this money and we have not even received fuel for our airplanes.”

• Defense Minister IRGC Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu in Moscow. The two discussed efforts to increase defense cooperation. Dehghani said “The presidents of Iran and Russia have emphasized expanding relations between the two countries and have placed a great responsibility on the shoulders of the defense ministers of both countries.”

• IRGC forces began military exercises, which included test-firing Nazeat and Fajr 5 missiles, in Esfahan province. The exercises mark the anniversary of the liberation of Khoramshahr during the Iran-Iraq war and run through Saturday. Mechanized, ground, and air force units of the IRGC will participate in the drills.

• Head of the Basij Organization Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naghdi spoke before Friday prayers in Qom:
  
  
  
  • “The breaking of America in Syria and before that in Lebanon and Palestine represents the successes of the Islamic Resistance in the area of Jihad and you can see these successes in other areas.”
  
  
  • “The cultural war with the west began with 4000 satellite dish channels with 120 channels in different dialects of our country in order to corrupt, pervert, prostitute, and attack the foundations of morality and theology.”
  
  
  
  

• IRGC Quds Force Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Esmail Ghaani spoke at the Sixteenth Assembly for Veterans of Jihad and Martyrdom:
  
  
  
  • “From this point onward, America, which has already been working behind the scenes against Iran will openly confront the country.”
  
  
  • “American policy in Iraq and Afghanistan show that they are afraid of Iranian power. The situation was so severe that American soldiers did not get out of their tanks out of fear.”
  
  
  
  

• Senior Military Advisor to the Supreme Leader IRGC Maj. Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi spoke about the victory of the operation in Khoramshahr during the Iran-Iraq war and of international pressure on Iran:
  
  
  
  • “The enemies’ pressure shows that the great nation of Iran and the Islamic Revolution are on the right track.”
  
  
  • “The operation to liberate Khoramshahr was the fourth major operation by Army and Basij forces and was one of the greatest victories for Iran and one of the worst failures for Iraq.”
  
  
  
  

• Hamas Political Bureau Chief in Tehran Khaled Ghadoumi denied reports that Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh will visit Tehran for an international media conference.
  
  
  
  • Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian met with Hamas Political Bureau Head Khaled Meshaal in Doha, Qatar. The two discussed the Syrian crisis and expanding greater cooperation throughout the region.
  
  
  
  

• International Affairs Deputy to the Oil Minister Ali Majedi said that Iran is currently waiting on Pakistan to put forth a proposal for completion of the Iran-Pakistan pipeline.