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Iran has lifted its ban on iPhone models. The ban, imposed in 2023, had restricted the import of newer iPhone models, impacting many Iranians who wanted to buy the phones. The announcement, made by the country’s telecommunications minister, paves the way for the import and sale of iPhone 14, iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 devices in the country.
Telecommunications Minister Satar Hashemi announced the policy change on X, stating that the registration issue for new iPhones has been resolved with the support of President Masoud Pezeshkian. While details about the import process are yet to be released, the announcement signals a significant shift in Iran’s stance on Apple products.
Read minister’s full message (translated from Persian):
The problem of the iPhone registry was solved by the administration of the federal government, the support of the honorable president and #پیگیری_فعالانه_وزارت_ارتباطات . I believe that with #کار_کارشناسی , creating consensus, without fuss and uproar, other problems of cyberspace and people’s demands can be solved.
With today’s approval of the Cabinet and the lifting of the ban, which was achieved with the support of the Honorable Legal Deputy of the President and the Honorable Minister Samet, the details and regulations related to iPhone import will be announced in the shortest possible time.
Why Iran banned iPhones
In September 2020, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called for a ban on excessive luxury imports, including a US-manufactured phone, citing concerns about the country’s finances. This eventually led to a ban on iPhone 14 imports in February 2023.
The decision to lift the ban comes despite previous criticism of iPhone imports by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has expressed concerns about excessive imports and the consumption of luxury goods.
“Excessive imports are something dangerous,” Khamenei said at the time, news agency AP cited a transcript on his official website as saying.
“Sometimes this import is a luxury product, meaning there is no need for it. I’ve heard about half a billion dollars were spent to import one type of American luxury cellphone,” he added.
The 2023 ban had created a thriving black market for older iPhone models, driving up prices and highlighting the economic challenges faced by Iranians amid Western sanctions. Despite the ban, older iPhones remained popular, with government statistics indicating that they accounted for a significant portion of the country’s mobile phone import market.
However, other foreign smartphone brands such as Motorola, Samsung, Nokia, Xiaomi and Huawei remain widely available in Iran, the report added.
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