New electronics reach Iran, but prices soar as gov’t fees, US sanctions hit

The latest smartphones are still finding their way into Iran despite sanctions, trade restrictions and a naval blockade — but soaring prices are putting them out of reach for many, Al Jazeera reports.

When Apple's iPhone 18 lineup launched in the United States on September 18, the devices quickly appeared in Tehran shops such as Charsou Mall, even though Apple has no physical presence in Iran. "These things can't stop a mobile phone seller," one trader told Al Jazeera, though he said getting stock in has become far more complicated and time-consuming.

Much of Iran's electronics previously arrived via Dubai, but tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted that route. Some traders now rely on passengers flying in from Oman, while, in the trader's words, "most of the phones are now smuggled into the country," many passing through Sulaimaniyah by land.

This week a MacBook Air 15-inch M4 was selling in Tehran for the rial equivalent of more than $1,450. Imported phones also face a government registration fee — without it, service stops after 30 days — plus further levies and domestic "warranties". The government can halt registrations at will, as it did for newer iPhones between 2023 and 2024.

Even a registered phone offers limited use: Iran imposes severe internet filtering and shutdowns, while global payment methods remain off-limits.

State-linked Tasnim reports about $1.6bn worth of phones were imported commercially, and customs chief Foroud Asgari said around a million phones arrived by mid-August. But with the rial in freefall, a 27-year-old Tehran teacher, Afsaneh, said replacing her iPhone 13 would mean selling her current phone, draining her savings and borrowing from her parents.