Behind the Ban on iPhone Imports
According to Iran Gate, the main reason some officials oppose the import of iPhones 14 and 15 is not due to their internet connectivity technology. Some time ago, a mobile store known as Musavi Mobile, previously a sponsor of Esteghlal Club, paid 70 billion tomans for advertising on the back of shirts. However, this sponsorship had many controversies. Mehdi Musavi, the manager of Musavi Mobile, smuggled a large number of iPhones 14 and 15 into the country. After the import ban and the inability to register these iPhones, they faced problems selling the series 14 and 15 iPhones.
The reason for the ban on importing and registering iPhones 14 and 15 is not simply due to their internet connectivity technology, as Samsung phones have the same capability. The main reason for this ban is the Omrani Group, managed by Hassan Ali Omrani. Before obtaining the exclusive rights to import iPhones, the Omrani family was involved in the export and import of agricultural equipment, road construction, and shipbuilding to North Korea.
The Omrani Group imported over 4 million iPhone 13 devices into the country but faced clearance issues at Shahid Bahonar Customs in Bandar Abbas. Now that the political power in the government is aligned with the Omrani Group, they hope to clear more than 4 million iPhone 13 devices. If iPhones 14 and 15 are imported and registered, they will face significant losses.
