Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir will visit Tehran, the Iranian capital, on Monday, according to Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei. The report, published on August 23, 2026, cited Iran’s Fars news agency for the announcement. No further schedule or meetings for the visit were specified in the source.

Baghaei said strengthening bilateral cooperation is among the main objectives of Munir’s visit. He also linked the trip to continuing Pakistan’s “sincere efforts” to establish regional peace and security. The source did not provide details about specific cooperation areas or any planned agreements.

The Tehran visit is described as part of efforts by Pakistan and Iran to further strengthen their bilateral relationship. The two countries are also continuing cooperation on regional peace and security, according to the report. The source did not state how long Munir’s visit would last or identify other officials expected to take part in discussions.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi called on Britain and France to take concrete action against Israel in a post on X published by the Iranian side. The report, published on August 23, 2026, said his appeal referred to an open letter signed by 102 former British and French diplomats.

According to the letter cited by Gharibabadi, Israeli policies are moving toward ethnic cleansing and the destruction of Palestine. Gharibabadi said continued arms supplies to Israel and any form of support amount to deliberate participation in what he described as the crimes of the Zionist regime.

The former diplomats called for an end to arms deliveries to Israel, a ban on trade with illegal settlements, and implementation of decisions by the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The report attributed the information to Press TV and did not include a response from the British, French or Israeli governments.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said neighboring countries have sent Iran multiple messages about building a new regional security framework and expanding economic cooperation. In a post on X on Saturday, he said the region needs an independent, homegrown system to ensure peace and security. The report was published on August 23, 2026.

Ghalibaf sharply criticized US policy, accusing Washington of prioritizing Israel’s interests while neglecting those of its allies. He said this approach had placed the security of several Middle Eastern countries at serious risk and, for a period, threatened the existence of some states in the region.

He wrote that only a domestic and independent arrangement could genuinely guarantee peace and security. Ghalibaf also said Washington had not succeeded in military confrontation with Iran and had failed to demonstrate an ability to reach a diplomatic understanding with Tehran. The report cited Press TV as its source.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, discussed regional security and strategies to strengthen peace and stability in the region during a phone call, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. The ministry disclosed the conversation in a statement but did not identify further details of the exchange.

According to the statement, the officials addressed challenges to regional security and ways to reinforce stability across the region. No immediate additional information was released about specific proposals, agreements, or outcomes from the discussion.

Pakistan is serving as a major mediator between Iran and the United States during the war, according to the report. It is maintaining close contact with both sides. The report cited Iran’s Foreign Ministry statement and Mehr news agency as its source.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to intensify economic pressure on Iran, describing a possible move as an “economic D-Day,” according to an Al Jazeera report published on August 23, 2026. The report says Washington is considering further measures despite the extensive sanctions already imposed on Iran.

Analysts cited several possible options: sanctions on Chinese independent oil refineries that buy Iranian crude, measures against major Chinese banks processing Iranian transactions, disruption of goods entering Iran by land, and additional tariffs on products from countries trading with Iran. The United States has already sanctioned one Chinese “teapot” refinery over Iranian oil purchases, though such firms have limited direct links to the US financial system.

Targeting two major Chinese banks could significantly affect China’s financial system and invite retaliation against the United States. A land blockade would require cooperation from all seven of Iran’s neighbouring countries, making it difficult to implement. Tariffs on countries trading with Iran could also face legal obstacles in Congress and US courts, while broader actions risk commercial and diplomatic consequences for Washington.

Iran is changing its military doctrine to place greater emphasis on preventing threats before they develop into attacks, amid concerns that future conflict could intensify. Hamidreza Azizi, an Iran researcher at the Clingendael Institute and writer of the Iran Analytica newsletter, described the shift in comments reported on August 23, 2026. He said Tehran is seeking to build deterrence at an earlier stage.

Azizi said Iran’s previous deterrence strategy had failed to stop repeated attacks by the United States and Israel. In a post on X, he wrote that Tehran aims to signal it can respond even when preparations for an attack against Iran are underway. He identified two elements in what he called Iran’s new offensive military policy: pre-emptive or preventive action and disproportionate retaliation.

According to Azizi, preventive action is intended to stop a potential threat before it becomes real, while disproportionate retaliation would raise the cost of attacking Iran. He also described Iran’s warning to Gulf countries not to join the United States in economic warfare against Tehran as a final warning. Iran’s military and security structures, he said, are increasingly preparing for another round of tension or conflict.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the US attack on Iran has increased the desire to acquire nuclear weapons around the world. The remarks, reported by Al Jazeera and published by Amar Desh Online on August 23, 2026, criticized what he described as US President Donald Trump’s reckless actions.

Rezaei said the trend has grown particularly because people saw that Iran’s membership in the International Atomic Energy Agency and its participation in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty did not effectively prevent a US attack. He said Trump had created nuclear insecurity rather than nuclear security.

The Iranian official said Iran has accepted and followed all international security rules. He noted that Iran is a member of the NPT and has agreed to inspections. Rezaei also claimed that Iran is more committed than any other country to complying with international regulations related to nuclear matters.

Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, called US President Donald Trump a “fool” in comments published on August 23, 2026. He said Tehran must change its approach to conflict and diplomatic conduct with the United States, according to Al Jazeera as cited by the report.

The Iranian official said that today’s Iran is not the same as Iran before the war. He also said recent military appointments by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei indicate that Tehran wants to remain prepared for war.

Citing Khamenei’s view, Rezaei said Iranian young people’s perception of the United States as a peace-loving country has changed significantly. He said that the entire world has understood that Trump is a fool.

Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani said Iran’s defense industry has become a major pillar of national security despite years of sanctions and external pressure. In a message marking National Defense Industry Day, he said the country had chosen to rely on domestic capabilities, domestic knowledge and national will. The report was published on August 22, 2026.

Irani said Iran had built a defense industry that is among the principal pillars of the country’s security and strength. He presented the development as a result of an approach centered on internal resources rather than outside support.

According to Irani, Iran’s domestic defense capabilities have played a decisive role in maintaining the balance of power. He said those capabilities increased Iran’s offensive capacity and frustrated the intentions of its adversaries. The source attributed the report to Al Jazeera.

Iran’s navy chief said the country has strengthened its defence industry despite years of sanctions and external pressure. Speaking on National Defence Industry Day, he said Iran chose to rely on domestic capabilities, internal knowledge and national will to build an industry that has become a major foundation of national security and strength. The remarks were reported by Iran’s Mehr news agency and carried by Al Jazeera on August 22, 2026.

The navy chief said Iran had developed its indigenous defence capabilities under prolonged restrictions, increasing self-reliance in the defence sector. He described domestic defence capacity as playing a decisive role in maintaining the balance of power and said it had also enhanced Iran’s offensive capabilities.

He further claimed that these capabilities had helped thwart objectives set by Iran’s adversaries. According to his statement, the continued development of the defence industry through reliance on domestic knowledge and capacity has further strengthened Iran’s national security despite sanctions and outside pressure.

Iranian army spokesperson Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminiah said on August 22, 2026, that the country’s military strategy is gradually moving from a defensive to an offensive posture. He warned that any attack on Iran would receive an immediate response more extensive and powerful than the aggression, citing lessons from two recent wars.

Akraminiah said the policy change does not mean Iran intends to launch preemptive operations against an adversary. Instead, he said Iran would respond immediately to any aggression. He added that military equipment and systems damaged in previous conflicts have been repaired, while new military systems and technologies have been incorporated into the armed forces.

The spokesperson said Iran is working continuously to ensure it can deliver a more destructive response if an adversary miscalculates again. He also said the Strait of Hormuz has gained greater geopolitical importance after the war. Referring to a recent defence partnership involving Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, he described the initiative as an indication of declining US influence in the Middle East.

Iran has authorized several Iraqi oil-carrying vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA. The decision was announced during Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf’s visit to Iraq on August 22, 2026.

IRNA said Iraqi Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi requested the permission from Iran to safeguard his country’s economic interests. In response, Ghalibaf authorized Iraqi oil vessels to travel through the strait.

The report did not specify how many Iraqi oil tankers would receive permission. It also provided no details on when the authorization would take effect or whether it would have a defined duration. The Strait of Hormuz is described as one of the world’s most important energy transport routes, carrying large volumes of oil and energy products. Restrictions on shipping through the waterway can affect international energy markets.

Iranian Army Chief Major General Amir Hatami said Iran’s armed forces have developed combat capabilities that forced adversaries to revise their strategic calculations. In a Friday message marking Iran’s National Defense Industry Day, he said defense self-reliance ultimately compelled enemies to accept a political solution to war.

Hatami said the Defense Ministry had played an effective role in strengthening Iran’s resistance capacity by designing, manufacturing and modernizing various military equipment and defense systems. He added that a significant portion of these achievements had demonstrated their effectiveness on real battlefields during recent wars.

According to Hatami, the capabilities now available to the armed forces represent more than a collection of equipment and systems. He described them as an expression of confidence in Iran’s capabilities, self-reliance, domestic knowledge and national determination to ensure security and authority. He stressed continued cooperation between the army and the Defense Ministry to meet military needs, modernize equipment, exchange experience and make maximum use of the country’s scientific and industrial capacities.

Iran’s Defense Ministry spokesperson Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik said on August 22, 2026, that the country’s production of weapons and defense equipment doubled over the past year. Tehran is now pursuing a goal of tripling output, he said, describing the effort as part of strengthening self-reliance under sanctions.

Speaking on state television, Talaei-Nik said production of some strategic military products prioritized during wartime rose more than threefold during the most recently imposed war. He said claims by US and Israeli leaders that attacks would halt Iran’s defense production had been proven wrong. He attributed continued output to ongoing production, strategic stockpiles built over years, and an extensive production network.

According to Talaei-Nik, more than 9,000 private and knowledge-based companies are now involved in Iran’s defense supply system, about 20 percent more than a year earlier. He said 76 percent of research projects succeeded in producing products last year. Iran is producing more than 1,000 types of advanced defense systems and weapons, he added, while some systems remain undisclosed for military secrecy and surprise.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the latest US economic sanctions against Tehran are bound to fail. In a post on X on Friday, he argued that previous US pressure campaigns had not achieved their goals, responding to President Donald Trump’s threat of unprecedented economic measures against Iran.

Araghchi said what he described as the harshest sanctions in history, imposed over the past 14 years, had failed. He also said the “maximum pressure” policy begun eight years ago was unsuccessful, as was a call for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” five months earlier. He said Trump’s new, tougher economic campaign would likewise fail.

Trump had earlier warned of unprecedented economic action against Iran. In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, he said he would announce what he called the most devastating economic campaign ever taken against any country. Trump said Iran had failed to take advantage of an opportunity for an agreement and would face economic warfare and isolation at unprecedented levels.