2026/02/26Tehran GPS Disruptions Reported as Navigation Apps Misfire
Several Iranian outlets say GPS services were disrupted in parts of Tehran , with users reporting wrong locations and route-finding failures across both local and international navigation apps. What’s known so far: Reports describe the issue as starting Thursday morning (7 Esfand 1404 / Feb. 26, 2026) . No official cause has been announced publicly in the cited reports. One report says authorities are investigating and have promised a quick fix . Source: Fararu; Donya-e-Eqtesad (via Citna).
2026/02/26Iran’s “Pro Internet” SIM Sparks Two-Tier Access Fears
Iranian outlets report that a major mobile operator has launched a SIM plan branded “Pro” that can enable access to some filtered websites and social platforms , prompting debate over a deepening digital access gap . According to Shargh , the service is presented as a business/organizational offering, but in practice individuals may also apply by registering a request under a business name to be placed on a so-called whitelist . Reported terms and pricing: Activation fee: 2,178,000 tomans (includes an initial 50GB package) Access to blocked platforms (including Instagram and YouTube ): charged separately at 40,000 tomans per GB Operational details: Shargh says the company’s marketing team provided a product brief and a sample request letter; documents describe registration via a specific portal and identity verification through an integrated gateway, stating access is granted to businesses with legal authorization Connection quality claim: Zoomit , citing sellers, reports the service uses an international IP and may remain stable even during broad disruptions or nationwide restrictions The reports come amid renewed attention to internet disruption risks, after accounts of a near 20-day nationwide shutdown during the Dey protests , followed by continued complaints about lower quality, slower speeds, and harder access even with circumvention tools. Source: Shargh; Zoomit.
2026/02/26Paris Verdict Watch: Iranian Woman’s Case Seen as Leverage in France–Iran Prisoner Talks
A French court is set to deliver a verdict on Mahdieh Esfandiari (39) , with prosecutors seeking a four-year sentence — three years suspended —in a case France 24 says some observers view as a potential bargaining chip in dealings with Tehran over the fate of French nationals Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris . Source: France 24.
2026/02/26Geneva Talks Pause as Iran Flags “Contradictory” U.S. Messaging
Iranian and U.S. delegations left the venue in Geneva after roughly three hours of discussions, as Tehran signaled concern over what it described as mixed/contradictory positions from the American negotiating team. Oman’s foreign minister said the talks are set to resume shortly , after both sides consult with their capitals, while observers following the process remain cautious about a fully successful outcome. Source: Iran International (Ahmad Samadi); Omani Foreign Ministry (X); Anadolu Agency.
2026/02/26Death Sentence Upheld Again for Rasht Poet, Rights Group Says
Human rights outlet Hyrcani reported that the death sentence of Peyman Farah-Avar —a poet and political prisoner from Rasht —has been confirmed for a second time by Branch 39 of Iran’s Supreme Court . The report does not cite an official judicial announcement; it frames the update as information obtained by the rights group. Source: Hyrcani Human Rights Media (as reported on its official channels).
2026/02/26Iran Says Geneva Talks Were “Intense and Serious,” With IAEA Chief Present
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the Geneva negotiations between Iran and the United States were held in a “compressed, serious” format, describing the discussions as focused and high-stakes. Baghaei also said the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was present during the talks—an unusual detail that underscores how central the nuclear file remains. He added that both delegations needed to consult with their capitals , and that the talks were expected to resume around 6:00 p.m. Geneva time . Baghaei said conflicting media narratives have fueled “doubts and questions,” but insisted the Iranian team is focused on outcomes, while stressing that reported details circulating in the media are “mostly speculation” and cannot be confirmed . Source: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei on IRIB News (شبکه خبر) ,
2026/02/26CIA Goes Public in Persian With “Safe Contact” Guidance
The CIA’s verified X account (@CIA) published a Persian-language, step-by-step guide on how to make a “safe virtual call” to the agency, framing the message with “ Peace ” and saying it “ hears your voice and wants to help you .” The first slide of the Persian guide emphasizes that the agency prioritizes personal safety and urges viewers to take security precautions based on their individual circumstances. The content is being widely circulated online as an unusually explicit, public-facing outreach to Persian speakers —with some interpreting it as an attempt to encourage direct contact with the agency. Source: CIA official X account (@CIA)
2026/02/25The Man Who Gave Cyrus a Persian Voice Has Passed Away
Abdolmajid Arfaee , one of Iran’s most prominent scholars of ancient languages and a leading reader of Elamite and Akkadian cuneiform , has died in Tehran on Wednesday, 6 Esfand . Arfaee is widely credited as the first Iranian to translate the Cyrus Cylinder into Persian directly from the original Neo-Babylonian text , rather than via secondary translations—an achievement that helped set a higher scholarly standard for Persian access to key Achaemenid-era sources. Born on 9 Shahrivar 1318 in the Bandar Abbas area (Kuh-e Genu), he spent years in the U.S. studying at the University of Chicago under Richard Hallock , working closely with Elamite texts and the Persepolis administrative tablets. Source: Iranian media reports (including IRNA, as republished by Asr Iran) and biographical references.
2026/02/25“All Options on the Table”: Iran Parliament Speaker Replies to Trump
Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks in Congress , saying “all options are on the table” —including “dignified diplomacy” and a “regret-inducing defense.” Ghalibaf said Iran is prepared to negotiate if diplomacy is pursued in a way that respects Iran’s dignity and mutual interests , but warned that if Washington repeats past approaches—such as acting “with deception” and “wrong analysis”—Iran would respond decisively. Source: Tabnak (citing ISNA) ; IRNA .
2026/02/25Shargh Reports Mass Summons of Students After Campus Protests in Tehran
Iranian daily Shargh reported that at least 180 students at Tehran universities have been summoned to disciplinary committees following recent protest gatherings on campuses. According to the report, since Monday, 3 Esfand , at least 180 students have received text messages stating that their participation in the recent demonstrations was “against educational and disciplinary regulations.” The messages reportedly add that the students are barred from entering their universities until their disciplinary committee sessions are held. Source: Shargh
2026/02/25Iran Judiciary Signals Crackdown on Campus Protests, Warns “Higher Costs”
Iran’s judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei warned that the judicial system will intervene following student protest gatherings at several universities, saying that if officials do not report alleged crimes, the judiciary will step in directly—and “the cost will naturally be higher.” Speaking on Wednesday, 6 Esfand , Ejei said the judiciary had warned the ministers of Science and Health about the need to “organize and control” student protest assemblies. He added that authorities are expected to inform the judiciary if a crime occurs on campus; otherwise, the judiciary will act on its own legal mandate.
2026/02/25Iran’s Student Protests Stretch Into Day Five Despite Heavy Security
Students at several Iranian universities held demonstrations for a fifth consecutive day , defying what activists describe as an intense security atmosphere on campuses. On Wednesday, 6 Esfand , gatherings were reported at Iran University of Art , Pars Art & Architecture University , Shahid Beheshti University , Ferdowsi University of Mashhad , University of Shiraz , and Kharazmi University of Tehran —signaling continued coordination across multiple cities and institutions.
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