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

Tehran, Iran – When the latest iPhone 18 lineup was released by Apple in the United States on September 18, it only took a couple of days for the new models to go on sale in downtown Tehran.That is despite Apple not having a physical presence in Iran due to years of international sanctions, and the ongoing months-long US naval blockade of Iran’s southern ports, through which the bulk of the country’s imports previously entered.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Epstein, Iran and ‘drain the swamp’: Have Republicans shifted before vote?list 2 of 3White evangelical support for Trump slips but still strong as midterms nearlist 3 of 3Iran says seven ships hit in Hormuz Strait, warns US of wider responseend of list“These things can’t stop a mobile phone seller,” a phone and accessories trader in Tehran’s Charsou Mall, a major electronics hub, told Al Jazeera, asking to remain anonymous for security reasons.But he explained that the process of bringing in phones has become much more complicated, time-consuming and costly, due to both external pressures and domestic conditions imposed by the Iranian government.Many electronics manufactured internationally are imported into Iran ...