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Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, right, is greeted by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi upon his arrival in Tehran, Iran (AP)Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir will visit Tehran on Monday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Sunday. Baghaei said the visit of the Pakistani leader was in continuation of Islamabad ‘s efforts to strengthen peace and security in the region. Pakistan has taken on the mediator role in negotiations between Iran and the US aimed at ending their war.
US President Donald Trump once again shared an image calling the Strait of Hormuz “US territory” as Iran warned against Washington’s economic pressure. Tehran condemned proposed fresh US sanctions, while tensions over the strategically vital waterway and Iran’s oil trade continued to escalate.
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Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned fresh US economic sanctions, framing them not just as an attack on Iran but as an assault on the sovereignty of every UN member state. The dispute comes amid rising military rhetoric from Tehran and provocative comments from President Trump about US control over the Strait of Hormuz, even as diplomatic channels between Iran and Oman remain open.
Key Developments:
- Iran’s Foreign Ministry argues the latest round of US sanctions represents Washington overreaching its authority, describing it as an attempt to exert extraterritorial sovereignty over all independent UN member states.
- Trump stated he currently regards the strategic waterway as American territory, while suggesting Iran isn’t yet prepared to accept acceptable terms for a deal.
- Army spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia indicated Iran’s defense doctrine is moving away from a purely defensive stance toward one oriented around offensive capability.
- Despite the heightened rhetoric, the foreign ministers of Oman and Iran spoke by phone to discuss reviving talks on a bilateral arrangement governing transit through the Strait of Hormuz.
- More than 30 injured as moderate earthquake shakes northeast Japan.
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Norway to give over $9 billion to Ukraine in 2027
Norway is planning to give another 85 billion Norwegian crowns ($9.2 billion) in financial support to Ukraine in the 2027 fiscal year, in line with the amount given in 2026, the Nordic country's government said in a statement.
Zelensky says Russia may develop capacity to produce up to 1,300 ballistic missiles per year
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia may develop capacity to produce up to 1,300 ballistic missiles per year, according to Reuters.
Iran says Pakistan army chief to visit Tehran on Monday
Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson has said Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir will visit Tehran on Monday, Tehran's foreign ministry post on Telegram.
NSA Ajit Doval to visit China on Monday to attend Special Representatives talks with Wang Yi
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Monday to take part in the India-China Special Representatives (SR) talks on the boundary issue with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Doval and Wang are scheduled to hold the 25th round of SR talks on Tuesday, PTI reported, citing official sources.
Both Doval and Wang are the designated SRs for the boundary talks mechanism, which was established in 2003 to comprehensively address the vexed boundary dispute of the India-China border spanning 3,488 km. While success eluded it in resolving the boundary dispute, officials on both sides regard the structured mechanism as a useful tool in addressing the recurring tensions between the two countries on various fronts. The upcoming talks assume significance as they are being held ahead of the much-anticipated visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India to attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13.
Faster than Usain Bolt: Chinese robot smashes 100m record at humanoid games
A Chinese humanoid robot completed the 100 metres in 9.39 seconds during a preliminary heat at the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Saturday, beating the men’s world record held by Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt, according to Reuters.
Tiangong Ultra, built by the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, won its heat on the opening day of the second edition of the games. The robot pulled ahead of Honor’s Lightning near the finish line after trailing early on. Lightning crossed in 9.47 seconds, also quicker than Bolt’s 9.58-second record set at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin.
‘They were being held on water’: Iran says detained pilots in ‘poor physical condition’
A senior Iranian military figure is pressing Qatar to relocate detained Iranian pilots from their current holding site on the water to a hospital facility on dry land, Reuters reported, citing Iran’s Tasnim news agency.
Mohammad Baqerzadeh, who heads Iran’s Armed Forces committee tasked with locating missing personnel, described the pilots’ health as deteriorating, noting they remain confined at a waterborne location in what he called “poor physical condition.”
Iran security chief says Trump's 'recklessness' sparked fresh race to acquire nukes
Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei has accused US President Donald Trump of undermining global nuclear security, alleging that Washington's military aggression against Tehran has driven other nations to seek atomic weapons.
Iran's Tasnim news agency quoted Rezaei as saying that countries had seen membership in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as ineffective in preventing US attacks.
"Trump's recklessness, with his attacks on Iran, has increased the desire of people around the world to acquire nuclear weapons, especially when they saw that membership in the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty NPT was ineffective in preventing attacks from the United States," Rezaei said.
Trump shares map of Strait of Hormuz as 'new US territory', again
US President Donald Trump on Sunday once again posted a map depicting the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil, natural gas and other supplies, as "new US territory".
In a post on his Truth Social platform, he shared a picture of a map that had circled the critical chokepoint -- which has been shut down by Iran since the war broke out on February 28 as the "new US territory".
World News Today Live Updates: Trump shares Hormuz image as ‘US territory’ as Tehran faces new sanctionshttps://t.co/aFvnh8dfKd
— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) August 23, 2026
A moderate earthquake shakes eastern Japan, injuring more than 30 people in the Tokyo region
A moderate earthquake struck eastern Japan early Sunday, injuring more than 30 people across the greater Tokyo area, though officials said most injuries were minor and there was no tsunami risk. The quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9, briefly disrupted train service and rattled residents awake, but caused no reported damage to nuclear facilities in the region.
key points:
Trump seeks greater economic pressure on Iran: What are his options?
US President Donald Trump has pledged to increase economic pressure on Iran, according to Reuters, after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would introduce measures against Tehran that have “never been seen” as early as next week.
The United States, United Nations and European Union have applied sanctions, trade embargoes and asset freezes against Iran since the late 1970s over its nuclear programme, human rights record and support for militant groups. Since the Iran war began in February 2026, Washington has added further maritime, energy and financial sanctions and launched a naval blockade
Read the full the here.
At least 20 injured as 5.9 magnitude earthquake shakes northeast Japan; no danger of tsunami
A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 rattled eastern Japan, including the Tokyo area, early Sunday, injuring more than 20 people, most of them slightly, officials said. There was no danger of a tsunami.According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the quake occurred in the southern Ibaraki prefecture, at a depth of 70 kilometers (42 miles), an area of Japan prone to frequent quakes.
Iran says detained pilots in poor health, urges Qatar to move them to hospital
A senior Iranian military figure is pressing Qatar to relocate detained Iranian pilots from their current holding site on the water to a hospital facility on dry land, Reuters reported, citing Iran's Tasnim news agency.
Mohammad Baqerzadeh, who heads Iran's Armed Forces committee tasked with locating missing personnel, described the pilots' health as deteriorating, noting they remain confined at a waterborne location in what he called "poor physical condition."
According to Reuters, Baqerzadeh argued that the current detention site was inadequate for the pilots' needs and appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross to dispatch an air ambulance to Qatar, aiming to speed up the transfer of sick and wounded detainees back to Iranian soil. Read more
Iran’s deputy foreign minister responds to Western diplomats’ critique of Israel
Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, says continuing to support Israel is a “deliberate choice” by Western countries to participate in Israeli crimes.
In a post on X responding to a call made by former Western diplomats for their governments to “uphold international law in Palestine”, Gharibabadi said: “London and Paris should not hide behind the phrase ‘expressing concern’ from this situation.”
“Continuing to send weapons and providing any kind of support to the regime is a deliberate choice for collaboration and participation in the commission of crimes by the Zionist regime,” Gharibabadi wrote.
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake shakes northeast Japan injuring at least 5
A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 struck eastern Japan early Sunday, injuring at least five people in the Tokyo area, according to the Associated Press. The AP reported the quake hit southern Ibaraki prefecture at a depth of 70 kilometers, with no tsunami threat, and caused train delays, a burst water pipe in Tokyo, and brief power outages, though officials found no anomalies at nuclear facilities in the area.
US energy secretary says US oil, gas production at ‘all-time high’
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has hailed the US’s oil and gas production as global energy remains strained due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
“American oil and gas workers have driven production to an all-time high, making the US the world’s largest producer of oil and natural gas,” said Wright in a post on X.
Earlier, Wright also claimed the US military helped ship more than 15 million barrels of oil and other products out of the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday this week.
American oil and gas workers have driven production to an all-time high, making the U.S. the world’s largest producer of oil and natural gas.
— Secretary Chris Wright (@SecretaryWright) August 22, 2026
Thanks to @POTUS’ agenda, we’re building on that success—unleashing American energy, strengthening our economy, and lowering costs. pic.twitter.com/6SGppOMt3q
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