As ongoing instability weighs heavily on Iran's economy, small businesses remain among the most vulnerable, caught between ambition and uncertainty.
Siavash Farahi, a digital market expert in Alborz Province represents a generation trying to build a future at home.
Nearly 10 years ago, he left Bijar in Iran's Kurdistan Province and moved to Alborz, near Tehran. He studied graphic design, earned a master's degree in philosophy of art, and now teaches brand identity at a university, while also working in the creative industry.
In 2024, Farahi took a major step. He rented a small office and launched KONJ Digital Marketing Agency, offering content creation, website design, and search engine optimization, or SEO, services.
But since opening his business, Iran has experienced a series of shocks -- including a 12-day war, nationwide unrest, and weeks-long internet blackouts. For digital businesses, these disruptions are especially damaging.
"Digital marketing is meaningless without the internet. Our entire business depends on it. During blackouts, we have no platform to publish work. When the internet is cut, our income drops to zero, contracts are canceled, and future planning becomes impossible," he said.
Beyond technical challenges, fear of conflict has also started to affect business decisions. Many companies now prefer to delay long-term plans including marketing initiatives to minimize risk which has had direct impact on such service provider like Farahi's.
Despite the pressure, Farahi says he remains committed to staying and working in Iran -- even as conditions become more difficult.
"History has shown that our country's problems should be solved by ourselves — not by foreign intervention," he said.
In recent weeks, the United States has bolstered its military presence in the Middle East, deploying additional naval and air assets and issuing repeated warnings to Tehran. Iran has also stepped up its own military preparations.
The impact is also felt by those working with him.
"Our income virtually stops during these periods. We struggle to make ends meet, and it becomes very difficult to carry on," said Artin, a web designer.
Iranian entrepreneur battles to forge a future at home despite uncertainty
Iranian entrepreneur battles to forge a future at home despite uncertainty
