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.

• Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gave an address on the first day of Ramadan today:
  
  
  
  • “What is seen in the region today is that the enemies of Islam are fighting Muslims with an Islamic cover. Just as our Imam [Khomeini] said: ‘American Islam [uses terrorists] against pure Mohammedian Islam.’ The American Islam, despite having Islamic appearance and name, complies with despotism and Zionism.”
  
  
  • “Today, the enemy is investing in civil wars in the region and pins hope on a Shi’a-Sunni war to relieve itself of the concern of Islamic Awakening.”
  
  
  
  

• Former Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Hazrat-e Mohammad Rasulollah Unit (Greater Tehran) Commander Brig. Gen. Hossein Hamedani addressed Iran-Iraq war veterans of the IRGC Ansar al-Hossein 132nd Division and IRGC Hazrat-e Ali Akbar 154th Brigade in Hamedan. Hamedani discussed the formation of the “revolution’s third child” in Iraq and a “research center” in Syria:
  
  
  
  • “Know that by establishing the Basij the third child of the revolution is being born in Iraq after Syria and Lebanon. It is no longer just Iran that says ‘down with America.’ All nations are in unison and are shouting the slogan.”
  
  
  • “We fundamentally believe in total and popular defense. The people’s presence in the scene and the arena is the prescription for Resistance. When the people entered alongside the military in Syria, the situation suddenly turned in the favor of the Resistance. This is forming in Iraq. We believe that Iraq must have operationalized its popular mobilization [force] more than this in the past. This Basij includes all minorities, all tribes, and the entire people.”
  
  
  • “God has promised that victory is certainly yours if you resist and are patient. The Basij is presently being formed in Iraq after Lebanon and Syria. Iraqi officials are reaching the conclusion that they must get help from local popular forces.”
  
  
  • “We can see the results of our martyrs today in Syria. We presently have Sunnis among the youthful forces in Syria who have the best managerial and military performances and love the Imam [Khomeini], the revolution, and the IRGC. A research center has been established in Syria today that compiles and implements the ideals of the Supreme Leader. “
  
  
  • “Only one percent in Syria is Shi’a. The media portrays it as if Shi’as are fighting Sunnis. We must be aware that these are true cultural attacks.”
  
  
  • “Ten thousand of those who were armed and were fighting with the Syrian regime have mobilized today. We presently have 100 trained Basijis that have requested to fight in Syria. This is while we do not need to send forces.”
  
  
  
  

• Armed Forces General Staff Basij Affairs and Defense Culture Deputy IRGC Brig. Gen. Massoud Jazayeri, in an interview with Al Alam network, expressed ambiguity regarding the cooperation proposal from the US and pledged Iranian commitment to Iraq upon Baghdad’s request. Jazayeri also predicted “significant” Iraqi advancements within the next few days and discussed the military values of the Basij mobilization model for the Middle East:
  
  
  
  • “We will certainly not permit [ISIL] to get close to our borders or find an opening.”
  
  
  • “What occurred in Iraq was out of negligence. We believe that if this negligence had not taken place this Takfiri group would not be able to take such measures in Iraq.”
  
  
  • “As a strategic move, we believe that the Iraqi people must be responsible in managing this situation and crisis with the help of the Iraqi government and army. [IRI] will not deny any aid in any field that Iraq needs, even drones.”
  
  
  • “Our field information indicates that the Iraqi government’s anti-terrorist measures have gradually yielded results…We predict that the Iraqi Army’s advances will be significant within the next few days. It will head towards the north overtime, and it will force the terrorists’ exit.”
  
  
  • “The IRI has announced in its exchanges with Iraqi officials that it is ready to place all of its successful experiences in the defense field at the hands of the Iraqi government.”
  
  
  • “I believe that we cannot predict a short timeline for deflecting this crisis with attention to the foreign support of this vicarious, terrorist war…My imagination is that Iraq can face the future with improved speed, awareness, and intelligence from overcoming this challenge and crisis.”
  
  
  • “This [US] proposal is very ambiguous for us. The reason for ambiguity is because [IRI’s] policies are completely clear regarding Iraq. We consider it a principle to confront and fight terrorism. We consider lack of foreign intervention in Iraq as a principle.”
  
  
  • “Our assessment is that the Americans are seeking new concessions in Iraq.”
  
  
  • “We will certainly provide any required advice to the region’s Resistance. We will place any knowledge and awareness about phenomenon at the hands of the region’s governments and people.”
  
  
  • “Our information from Iraq indicates that should the [Iraqi] government organize popular forces well and with speed—just like what occurred in Syria—it will be able to successfully overcome this challenge with the help of the army and the intelligence community, God willing.”
  
  
  • “Our exchanges [with Iraq] were naturally in the defense and security arenas. [IRI] will certainly aid them should the Iraqi government and people have the need.”
  
  
  • “Iraq’s disintegration benefits none. This act is not even in the interest of countries that support terrorism.”
  
  
  • “The military trend in Syria is fortunately in the favor of the Syrian people and government, just as it was predicted. The enemy will of course use all of their capabilities and will attempt to connect forces present in Syria with Iraq somehow.”
  
  
  •  “We have announced with regards to Syria we will not permit foreign countries and terrorist related to foreign agencies rule Syria. We will not allow them to make decisions for the Syrian people and government. We will certainly have this approach in Iraq.”
  
  
  •  “The [IRI] assesses the regional situation first. This assessment was conducted regarding Syria and other areas where bad events occurred…We share our strategic points with the officials of these countries, with attention to the intelligence awareness and assessment that we have on the situation.”
  
  
  • “The regional executioners of these wars are some regional elements like Saudi Arabia.”
  
  
  • “America’s comprehensive policy is creating a new Middle East. America and global Zionism are seeking to change the map of the region and place them within the framework of their goals.”
  
  
  • “This effort may lead to the destruction of infrastructures in one or two countries and to the bloodshed and massacre of innocent people. The Americans, however, will not refrain from doing this.”
  
  
  
  

• Defense Minister IRGC Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehghan announced “the terrorist group ISIL and its supporters must be tried as war criminals…ISIL is the illegitimate bond of America, the Zionist regime, and regional reactionaries.” He added “Iran desires a united, secure, and advanced Iraq. It will support any measures in this regard.”

• National Security and Foreign Policy Parliamentary Commission member and former senior IRGC CDR Mohammad Esmail Kowsari stated “ISIL was formed by America and its allied countries in the region. They may have slight differences in some matters but America, the Zionists, and Saudi Arabia runs ISIL.”

• Law Enforcement Forces (LEF) Sistan va Baluchestan Commander Brig Gen. HosseinRahimi announced the establishment of the Ammar Operations Base in the southeast of the province and said “At the first level this base will have six brigades including operations and commando units.” LEF Commander Brig. Gen. Esmail Ahmadi Moghaddam will receive the planning proposal towards the middle of Ramadan.

• Asaib Ahl al-Haq [AAH] Islamic Resistance Movement Secretary Sheikh Qais al Khazali warned Iraqi Kurds about “taking advantage of the situation in Iraq” and said “the province of Kirkuk is for all of Iraqis, instabilities will end in Iraq.”

• A Chinese-Iranian consortium signed an agreement to construct the 900 kilometer Tehran-Mashhad electric rail road within 42 months. The consortium is comprised by the Iranian MAPNA Group, MAPNA Rail Development and Expansion Company, and MAPNA International and Chinese CMC and SUPOWER:
  
  
  
  • The Chinese companies will provide the project’s financing.
  
  
  • Iranian officials praised the agreement. MAPNA Group Managing Director said “the Supreme Leader introduced some aspects in the railroad transportation field [during a recent visit to MAPNA] and provided valuable recommendations for expanding our country’s railroad based on the economy of resistance foundations.”
  
  
  
  By AEI Critical Threats