Iranian media say 'hostile' drone downed over Persian Gulf
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.
Iran’s prolonged internet disruptions are shutting off a rare opening for young entrepreneurs to build low-cost businesses using artificial intelligence tools, according to a report by Shargh newspaper that warned the restrictions are crippling a generation of digital workers.
The disruptions have entered their 13th consecutive week, blocking or severely degrading access to many global online services that freelancers, software developers and content creators rely on to compete internationally, Shargh reported on Monday.
While AI tools have dramatically reduced the cost of launching new businesses worldwide, the report argued that internet restrictions inside Iran are preventing local entrepreneurs from benefiting from the shift.
“Internet that was supposed to become the launch platform for a new generation of entrepreneurs has now turned into the biggest obstacle to establishing, growing and developing a new business,” the newspaper wrote.
Many young Iranians who could previously build businesses with little more than a laptop and free AI software are now struggling to access even basic online services because of filtering, unstable connections and rising infrastructure costs, Shargh said.
The report estimated direct economic losses from the disruption at more than 3000 trillion rials, roughly $4 billion, over a 60-day period. Daily losses for internet-dependent businesses were estimated at between $30 million and $40 million.
Tiered internet deepens pressure
The emergence of “internet pro” or tiered internet access has widened inequalities inside Iran’s digital economy by giving certain users and organizations access to higher-quality connections at sharply higher prices, added Shargh.
Silhouette of a man using a mobile phone during a nighttime internet blackout in Iran amid ongoing restrictions and connectivity disruptions.
Large-volume internet packages for preferred users are being sold for more than 20 million rials (around $12), the newspaper reported, adding that the model has significantly increased operating costs for small software teams already struggling with inflation and currency depreciation.
The minimum wage in Iran currently stands at just over $90 per month.
The report described the current environment as one where international internet access is increasingly treated as a luxury rather than a public utility.
It said software companies face two immediate problems: rising infrastructure costs and the collapse of traditional digital marketing channels such as Google advertising and search visibility.
Under those conditions, businesses earning foreign currency revenue or reducing dependence on international infrastructure have become more attractive, according to the report.
AI lowers barriers but access remains limited
Advances in AI during the past two years, the report said, have sharply reduced software production costs worldwide by automating repetitive development work such as coding assistance, testing, documentation and early-stage interface design.
Tools including GitHub Copilot and AI coding assistants have increased software production speed by up to 50%, according to the report.
AI-generated image of a software developer facing service outages and online access problems in Iran’s restricted internet environment.
But the newspaper said Iranian developers are increasingly unable to reliably access many of the same tools because of internet instability and restrictions.
Software teams, the report said, are increasingly shifting toward direct marketing methods such as SMS campaigns, webinars and messaging-platform advertising because conventional online advertising tools have become less effective under filtering conditions.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are in Doha to meet Qatar’s prime minister over a potential US-Iran deal to end the war, Reuters reported on Monday, citing an official briefed on the visit.
Talks in Doha are primarily focused on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s highly enriched uranium, the official said.
Iran’s central bank governor was part of the Iranian delegation in Doha to discuss the possible release of frozen Iranian funds as part of an eventual final US-Iran agreement, the official added.
Iran’s state media had reported earlier that Abdolnaser Hemmati traveled to Qatar for talks on Iran’s frozen funds.
Iran’s authorities approved returning internet access to its pre-January 2026 status, state media reported on Monday after 87 days of digital blackout and isolation from the global internet.
The reports, citing informed sources, said the decision was made at a meeting of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace chaired by Vice President Mohammadreza Aref.
The reports come as internet access has been cut in Iran since the start of the war with the United States and Israel. Before that, access had also been disrupted around January 8 and 9, during nationwide protests.
Rauf Derakhshani-Mehr, a 19-year-old university student killed during January protests in the southern city of Dezful, was buried at night under pressure from security forces after his family located his body in a morgue, according to information obtained by Iran International.
Derakhshani-Mehr, a law student at Islamic Azad University, was shot dead during protests on January 9, a source familiar with the case said.
He was struck by a live bullet in the side and had also suffered metal pellet wounds to the left side of his body before the fatal shooting, the source said.
