Iran-Based iOS Apps Removed From Apple's App Store Following US Sanctions
Recently, all Iran-based applications on iOS App Stores have been removed as Apple complied with United States sanctions imposed on the Iranian government.
Last week, reports have it that all applications developed and offered by companies based in Iran have been taken down from the App Store. Apple's move was notably done shortly after the U.S. government re-imposed stricter embargo policies against the country.
In a statement confirmed by Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr, the technology giant explained (via New York Times): "Under the U.S. sanctions regulations, the App Store cannot host, distribute or do business with apps or developers connected to certain U.S. embargoed countries."
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The report noted that, in general, Apple was not allowed to operate or sell products in Iran due to existing policies. However, consumers and developers based in Iran still found ways to acquire iPhone products as well as install and use iOS applications.
One of the apps that was removed is called Snapp. It was a popular Iranian ride-hailing app very similar to Uber, which means commuters in the country are also widely affected by the removal of iOS apps.
Aside from Snapp, Apple has also disabled the apps that operate in Iran for people's daily use like DelionFoods, which was an online food delivery service developed by Mahdi Taghizadeh.
Taghizadeh was interviewed by the New York Times where he expressed his disappointment over Apple's move. He said: "We work so hard, and have to fight all the time, and now this."
He added: "No one with an iPhone can download any of the popular apps any more. Imagine if in the U.S. you wouldn't be able to get Uber on your phone."
Meanwhile, an Iranian government official for the telecommunications sector, Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, commented on the issue through his Twitter account.
As translated by New York Times, Jahromi said: "11 percent of the cellphone market in Iran belongs to Apple. Respecting customer rights is a principle today that Apple hasn't abided by. We will legally pursue the omission of apps."
A few weeks earlier, Apple was also criticized for removing major VPN apps from the China App Store which have become crucial tools for Chinese citizens to freely surf the internet despite the country's very strict Great Firewall policies banning major social media platforms and search engines.
