IRGC-Linked News Agency Accuses Football Club Sponsor Of iPhone Smuggling

The Tasnim News Agency, associated with the Revolutionary Guards, has accused a new sponsor of the Esteghlal football club of engaging in the smuggling of iPhones.

In the past year, the Islamic Republic has not registered iPhone 14 and 15 models, and in recent weeks, following the introduction of the iPhone 15 to the market, it declared the buying and selling of the devices as “illegal”, citing them as contraband.

Citing the Amol Mobile Shop, the Tasnim report stated, "An examination of some viral videos in the virtual space shows that the new sponsor has been involved in offering prohibited iPhone 15 series in recent weeks."

Meanwhile, the secretary of the Coordination and Supervision of the Fight Against Smuggling of Goods and Foreign Currency in Khorasan Razavi stated that the confiscation of iPhones, specifically the 14 and 15 models, has commenced.

He announced that all relevant entities have received instructions to take action against those responsible for selling iPhones, and devices that assist in antenna reception are considered contraband and their sale is prohibited.

In August 2022, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued a call to prohibit the import of "luxury American phones" into Iran.

"Nat'l production is key to employment, welfare, reducing inflation & increasing nat'l currency's power," Khamenei tweeted on his Russian language account, from an iPhone. "An obstacle to production is unneeded imports like luxury products. Last year, half a billion dollars were spent to import a certain luxury US mobile brand. Govt must stop this."

Suggesting the ban was a bid to cut national expenses, state news website Press TV claimed in February that the ban on Apple's iPhone 14 models alone would cut the country's six month import bill by at least $1bn.