Iran lifts ban on imports on brand-new Apple phones

The Iranian government has decided to lift a three-year ban on imports and registration of brand-new Apple phones.

The Iranian Cabinet issued a decree on Wednesday allowing the imports of all smart phone models produced by Apple, thereby withdrawing a previous ban on imports of the US-based company's iPhone 14 and later models.

The decree set a tariff of 96% on imports of all phone products with the trademark of Apple Inc.

The decree came some three years after a previous administration banned authorized imports of brand-new Apple phones, causing the Iranian telecoms ministry to stop registering new models of iPhone brought into the country by passengers.

Authorities said at the time that the ban had complied with a government policy to prevent the imports of luxury American products into Iran when it was under a harsh regime of unilateral US sanctions.

They also insisted the ban would save hundreds of millions in hard currency resources spent each year on imports of expensive Apple phones.

Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Wednesday that owners of new iPhone models will be informed of how they can register their phones on the Iranian mobile network.

Telecoms minister Sattar Hashemi made a same statement, saying new regulations related to imports of Apple phones will be announced by his ministry very soon.

Hashemi also said in a post on the X platform that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had supported telecoms ministry’s efforts to lift the ban on imports of brand-new Apple phones.

He expressed hope that the decision could also pave the way for plans by Pezeshkian’s government to ease restrictions on access to internet.

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