london low cash high hope iran technology entrepreneurs learn live revive hostility unite state grow suspicion bad hardliners home startups e-commerce apps flourish drive government infrastructure support young iranians educate country abroad even draw foreign investment way iran dominant oil industry yet achieve since international sanction lift early last year nuclear deal world power life remain tough despite ease iran international isolation atmosphere washington sour president donald trump sign legislation tighten domestic u.s. sanction iran threaten pull nuclear accord top google apple withdraw service temporarily indefinitely iranian users recent months reason include u.s. sanction still absence u.s. giants amazon uber allow iranian equivalents digikala snapp grow rapidly many local internet firm follow suit ramin rabii chief executive turquoise partner facilitate foreign investment iran say trump rhetoric could paradoxically help tech sector keep talk sanction would increase risk investment iran time keep lot competition tell reuters telephone interview tehran major global players figure available foreign investment iranian tech firm rabii however estimate hundreds millions dollars since nuclear deal come force contrast expect rush iran huge energy reserve yet materialize french group total invest gas project tehran yet seal major oil deal international partner foreign investment iranian tech remain modest compare regional mega-deals amazon purchase march dubai-based retailer souq.com amazon reveal price beat rival offer worth 800 million still rabii see bright future many foreign investors ask best perform sector iran next decade always name e-commerce tech sector say relative isolation international sanction era tech sector attract many young iranians back unite state canada europe hope marry experience startup scene locally-educated talent reza arbabian leave canada go teenager join family textile business iran 2012 launch sheypoor iranian answer craigslist u.s. classify advertisements website sheypoor employ 200 recently mark fifth anniversary cash however remain tight many foreign company still hesitant iranian investors understand value e-commerce accept need wait five years startup make profit say arbabian outside iran especially europe sanction net quite tight nevertheless will take plunge swedish-based pomegranate investment instance take 43 percent stake sheypoor large scale sarava digikala main shareholder 45 percent-owned foreign investors include pomegranate raise stake 15 percent 41 million euro 48 million investment 2016. follow amazon model digikala grow iran big internet company market share 85-90 percent accord pomegranate staff number leap past two years 800 2,000. iran come late mass internet access invest heavily president hassan rouhani hop attract foreign cash create job accord measure information society iran government-linked portal 62 percent households connect internet march 2017 21 percent 2013 year rouhani take office smartphone ownership also rocket iran country 80 million people two million smartphone users three years ago number hit 40 million 2016. developments encourage kamran adle iranian bear raise london move tehran last year iranian infrastructure dramatically improve recent years 3g 4g much commonplace couple years ago say adle whose firm ctrl+tech invest early stage startups help develop apps iranian apps copy foreign equivalents make reach international lawyers years isolation also force domestic talent innovative adle say shortage app developers one farshad khodamoradi design app job-hunting startup launch month unlike traditional sit 3sootjobs use algorithm-driven match system connect candidates right employers khodamoradi complain difficulties access foreign tech service many u.s.-based main problem global service iranian startups use cut overnight tell reuters tehran cite google firebase platform use generate push notifications message passengers taxi arrive pick without open app unavailable iran number occasion june july disrupt startups include taxi hail apps say google respond reuters request comment although technology firm gain exemptions sanction u.s. corporations appear unwilling risk involvement iran august telecommunications minister mohammad javad azari jahromi threaten take legal action apple removal iranian apps app store apple respond reuters request comment seem contrast u.s. promise nuclear deal march 2016 message iranian people president barack obama say end international sanction would mean access cutting-edge technologies include information technologies help iranian startups since message anti-u.s. iranian hardliners follow growth startups suspiciously brand vehicles enemy infiltration two foreign-based tech investors also end prison nizar zakka lebanese information technology expert permanent u.s. residency jail 2016 10 years collaborate state attend conference tehran previous year invitation one iran vice presidents arrest islamic revolutionary guard corps go airport leave country iranian-american businessman siamak namazi also get 10 years 2016 charge cooperate unite state arrest namazi appear iranian documentary see reuters say mistake accept money startup organization link u.s. chamber commerce revolutionary guard military force run industrial empire largely control telecommunications iran however tech entrepreneurs say environment generally supportive come across governmental push-backs adle say long term sanction would make use souq.com model cash iranian investments much hard eddie kerman london-based indigo hold link retail investors iranian tech firm optimistic american company like amazon might able enter iranian market significant possibility european asian company buy large iranian players say keep competition iran startups thrive despite sanction