iPhone could see ban in Iran following smuggling crackdown

Apple may be facing an iPhone ban in Iran. Government officials have apparently told the company that if it doesn't register in Iran officially, its products will be banned.
From The Japan Times:
"If Apple will not register an official representative in Iran within the next few days, all iPhones will be collected from the market," Tasnim News Agency quoted the director of Iran's anti-smuggling office as having said on Sunday.
Those who previously owned iPhones will apparently be unaffected. The move is part of a wider effort in Iran to crack down on mobile phone smuggling. The project, run out of the Iranian president's office, requires all mobile phones to be registered with the country's telecom user database.
Get more iMore in your inbox!
Our news, reviews, opinions, and easy to follow guides can turn any iPhone owner into an Apple aficionado
Joseph Keller is the former Editor in Chief of iMore. An Apple user for almost 20 years, he spends his time learning the ins and outs of iOS and macOS, always finding ways of getting the most out of his iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac.