Iran’s top security official vows ‘no retreat’ in first public message

A nonprofit group has threatened FIFA with legal action in the United States unless it reverses a reported policy barring Iran’s pre-revolutionary Lion and Sun flag from World Cup stadiums, The Athletic reported on Monday.

The Institute for Voices of Liberty sent a letter to FIFA through its legal counsel, Shahrokh Mokhtarzadeh, raising concerns over the reported restriction, The Athletic reported Monday.

Mokhtarzadeh told The Athletic by email that, depending on FIFA’s response or lack of response, “a decision will be made to commence formal proceedings in Superior Court, State of California or Federal Courts in California on a later date.”

The group’s legal counsel said Saturday afternoon that FIFA had not responded three days after the letter was sent.

“We are preparing to commence appropriate legal proceedings in case of attempts by FIFA to exclude the Lion and Sun flag,” they added.

The Athletic reported last week, citing sources with direct knowledge of FIFA’s planning, that the organization’s official guidance for World Cup venues would be to prohibit the pre-revolutionary Iranian flag during the tournament.

A joint venture between a US defense startup and a Saudi firm is building a factory near Riyadh to produce one-way attack drones modeled on Iran’s Shahed system, Semafor reported Monday.

The facility is being developed by SR2Vector, a partnership between Utah-based Vector Defense and Saudi startup SR2 Defense Systems, according to the report.

The factory will produce SKYWASP, a one-way attack drone developed by Vector and capable of striking targets up to 1,500 kilometers, or 930 miles, away — roughly the distance from Saudi Arabia’s northeast coast to Tehran.

“SKYWASP is a program that can level the playing field and boost Saudi Arabia’s deterrence capabilities,” Lucien Zeigler, SR2’s chief strategy officer and co-founder, told Semafor.

Zeigler did not disclose expected production figures, but said the factory would produce “operationally relevant volumes consistent with the kingdom’s strategic deterrence requirements.”

Semafor said SR2Vector plans to manufacture the drones both for the Saudi domestic market and for export to allied countries.

A draft memorandum of understanding under discussion between Iran and the United States would extend the ceasefire for 60 days, immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz and create a mechanism to dispose of Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile, CBS News reported citing two regional officials familiar with the diplomacy.

Under the proposal, which still require Iran’s approval, Iran would reaffirm that it will “never develop nuclear weapons” and agree that its enriched uranium stockpile be disposed of under a mechanism to be agreed by both sides.

The draft also calls for Iran and the United States, along with their allies, to declare an immediate and permanent end to “all military operations on every front,” including Lebanon, and commit not to launch war against each other or threaten or use force.

Questions over Iran’s frozen assets and sanctions against the Islamic Republic would be addressed based on Tehran’s compliance with those commitments, the report said.

A senior US administration official “essentially confirmed” most of the reported points to CBS News on Sunday but did not confirm the provisions on a 60-day ceasefire extension or the declaration ending all military operations on every front, including Lebanon, the network reported.

Iranian media reported that forces of the Islamic Republic downed a “hostile drone” over the waters of the Persian Gulf on Monday, after earlier reports of air defense activity near Qeshm Island.

IRGC-affiliated Fars News says Iran used a new air defense system called "Arash the archer" to shoot down the drone.

The report said the drone was shot down using a system with "stealth capabilities," calling it "a signal from us so that no stealth drone can penetrate the skies of the Persian Gulf again."

US President Donald Trump said negotiations with Iran were “proceeding nicely” and warned there would either be a “great deal for all” or a return to conflict “bigger and stronger than ever before.”

In a post on Truth Socialon Monday, Trump said he urged leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain to join the Abraham Accords as part of a broader regional settlement tied to a possible agreement with the Islamic Republic.

Trump said several leaders told him they “would be honored” to have Iran join the accords if a deal is reached with Washington, describing such a step as a potential turning point for the Middle East.