Top general says Tehran still wants to kill former US president Donald Trump, Mike Pompeo to avenge the assassination of Qassem Soleimani

State TV says Tehran expected to ship 'radars and defense missiles' to its ally in Damascus; White House warns Russia may supply fighter jets to Iran as their security ties grow

Defense Ministry in a statement says missiles are 'solely for defense purposes,' adding that Tehran's military plan includes constant updates to deal with threats

Conversation comes days after Russian ambassador to Tehran said Moscow would have 'no problem' selling it advanced air defense system when arms ban expires later this month

Levan Dzhagaryan brushes off threat of US sanctions if Russia provides the Islamic Republic with the advanced air defense system

Tehran and Damascus say cooperation needed 'to confront pressures by America'; Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in neighboring country

Tehran's downing of a sophisticated US drone - albeit a large, slow one - shows it knows how to use its missile systems, though it still lags far behind US capabilities

Officials concerned Iran may be emboldened after Trump appears to dismiss incident as a possible accident; White House invites House, Senate leaders for briefing