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On August 23, according to Iranian sources on August 22, Iranian Defense Ministry spokesman Reza Tarai-nik stated in an interview that Iran's overall weapons and defense equipment production has doubled over the past year. Production of some strategic equipment prioritized for wartime deployment has even more than tripled. To maintain military secrecy, some equipment systems have not yet been publicly displayed. He also stated that if the enemy makes another foolish mistake, it will face an even greater defeat.

August 23 - Following the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Honshu, Japan, numerous injuries have been reported. As of 4:00 AM local time, nine people were injured in Saitama Prefecture, and as of 5:00 AM local time, three people were injured in Kanagawa Prefecture. Additionally, some people in Tokyo sustained cuts from broken glass. According to the Tokyo Fire Department, approximately 30 earthquake-related calls had been received as of 3:00 AM local time on the 23rd.

On August 23, according to the New York Times, U.S. Trade Representative Greer revealed previously undisclosed trade proposals to Canada on Saturday, stating that these measures would grant Canada the most favorable treatment among all its trading partners. Greer stated that the Trump administration had promised to eliminate the 10% softwood lumber tariff imposed last year under Section 232, and also proposed reducing the 25% auto tariff imposed by Trump last year. Furthermore, because Canada could receive further tax reductions if its vehicles contain any U.S. parts, the auto tariff could have been reduced to 7%. The U.S. also proposed reducing metal tariffs, one of Canada's top concerns. The U.S. proposed reducing tariffs on most Canadian steel exports to the U.S. from 50% to 25% under the so-called tariff quota system, and for aluminum, the U.S. would reduce tariffs from 50% to 25%, without quota restrictions. For downstream products using steel and aluminum as raw materials, the U.S. proposed reducing tariffs by 10 to 25 percentage points, with a minimum of 15%. He also stated that the Trump administration had originally planned to suspend the 50% tariffs imposed on Canadian dairy products, wine, hockey sticks, and other goods that would begin early Saturday morning, while also cooperating on other issues such as key minerals and cargo transshipment. Greer refuted Canadian Prime Minister Carney's claim that "the U.S. is asking for too much and giving too little," stating that the U.S. proposal would "continue to provide them with the best market access and further improve those conditions."

U.S. Trade Representative Greer: The United States could have postponed the 50% tariffs imposed on Canadian dairy products and wine.

U.S. Trade Representative Greer: The U.S. has proposed lowering tariffs on most Canadian steel products to 25% and reducing tariffs on aluminum products from 50% to 25%.

U.S. Trade Representative Greer: The United States has proposed eliminating the 10% tariff on softwood lumber.

U.S. Trade Representative Greer: The U.S. had proposed a reduction in tariffs on metals, and in the U.S.-Canada trade negotiations, tariffs on automobiles could have been reduced to as low as 7%.

Market news: Rosatom, the Russian state-owned nuclear energy company, is gradually arranging for its staff to return to the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran.

August 23 - According to The Daily Telegraph, a British power station suffered a cyberattack, causing a four-day production disruption. This incident coincided with a series of attacks on US water infrastructure last month, affecting 12 states and drawing the attention of the White House. British officials declined to name the affected power plant citing security concerns, but it is understood that the facility was paralyzed for four days, and staff have been working to restore operations. The affected power plant is reportedly relatively small, and the outage did not impact the UK's overall electricity supply or energy production. In response, the British government has informed the CEOs of all power companies and sent letters to businesses offering advice, guidance, and follow-up steps.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi and Pakistani Army Chief of Staff Munir spoke by phone on Saturday to discuss regional situation and security issues.

Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi spoke with the Egyptian Foreign Minister to discuss the regional situation, the situation in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, and diplomatic efforts to ease regional tensions.

According to Al Jazeera, Yemeni authorities say they have discovered a Houthi-laid mine in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

August 23 – Federal Reserve Chairman Warsh will speak at the annual economic conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on August 27. Investors expect him to further clarify how the Fed should deal with stubborn inflation, but it remains uncertain whether he will offer a clear statement. The chairman's communication strategy has had a rough start. Following the July policy meeting, Warsh revealed little about his views on the economy and avoided providing forward guidance on interest rates. Investors interpreted his remarks as a lack of resolve to push inflation back to the target level, subsequently pushing long-term bond yields to their highest levels in two decades.

On August 23, Rezaei, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, warned Gulf states against joining the US-imposed economic sanctions against Iran, stating that Tehran would retaliate against these countries' interests. "If Iran's neighbors join the US economic war, the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz will be completely depleted of oil, and we will also target other oil export routes in the Persian Gulf," he said. Rezaei also claimed that Trump launched the economic war against Iran at the urging of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. He said Trump was initially skeptical of the idea, but Netanyahu persuaded him to test it for two to three months before assessing whether to continue for another six months. "What the enemy hopes for is division and discord," he reiterated, emphasizing Iran's unity.

According to Al Jazeera, sources familiar with the matter said that Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces, Asim Munir, is expected to return to Tehran in the coming days.

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck southern Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, early on the 23rd. No abnormalities have been detected at several nuclear facilities near the epicenter. NHK, citing power company sources, reported that no abnormalities have been detected at the Fukushima Daiichi, Tokai, and Tokai Daini nuclear power plants, all located near the epicenter, and radiation monitoring readings around the plants have not shown significant changes.

On August 23, it was reported that price competition for large-scale AI models has intensified recently, with several US AI companies lowering prices for their models. OpenAI, the US-based Open AI Research Center, announced on the 21st that it would reduce the base price of its cutting-edge GPT-5.6 Sol model for developers by over 20%, effective immediately. This discounted price will be valid for three months. At the end of last month, OpenAI also lowered the prices of other models, with mid-range models reduced by 20% and low-cost models by 80%. Furthermore, Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, recently released Gemini 3.7 Flash and simultaneously lowered its price, making it approximately half the price of the previous version. Some US media analysts believe that the increasingly fierce price competition for large-scale AI models, particularly the open-source and pricing strategies of some Chinese AI companies, has put pressure on US companies.

The statement indicates that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held a video conference with provincial and territorial leaders to discuss suspending trade negotiations with the United States. Carney outlined next steps to protect Canadian interests, including retaliatory tariffs that will take effect on Tuesday after Labour Day.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Rezaei: Iran will strike at the interests of countries that assist the United States in waging economic war against Iran.