Minister of Economy: The 96% Tariff on iPhones 'Was Not Our Decision, It Will Be Revised'

The Iranian Minister of Economy stated that the government's decision to impose a 96% tariff on iPhone imports 'was not our decision' and 'will soon be revised.' Abdolnaser Hemmati, on Saturday, November 12, responded to reporters' questions by saying: 'The 96% tariff for iPhone imports was not our decision and will soon be revised, likely to around 30%.' This claim comes as the Cabinet's decision, published on November 9, which triggered reactions, set the commercial profit margin for iPhone imports at 96%, meaning that applicants would have to pay up to double the original price after the ban on iPhone imports is lifted. This issue sparked a wave of critical reactions on social media, prompting the government spokesperson to announce a post on the social media platform 'X' that what was approved by the Cabinet was the lifting of the ban on Apple phone imports, and that 'a mistake occurred regarding the tariff rate, which will soon be corrected and communicated to the honorable citizens.' The government spokesperson later revised this message, removing the part referring to a 'mistake' in the government. Fatemeh Mohajerani, in her new message, wrote that the government will 'decide' on the import tariff rate. The ambiguity surrounding the tariffs and the government's confusion has led to severe fluctuations in iPhone prices in the market, with the price of the iPhone 16 Pro Max in the unofficial market rising from 90 million tomans to 105 million tomans. According to the head of the Mobile and Accessories Commission of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, the issue of import tariffs for this product remains unclear and disorganized, and determining the actual import tariff will take time. Hossein Sadat Hosseini added that the news regarding tariffs has increased demand for the latest iPhone models. However, on Saturday morning, with the Minister of Economy announcing a 'likely 30% tariff,' prices in the market stabilized somewhat. Following the announcement of lifting the ban on iPhone imports, some industry officials also made statements that added to the ambiguities and uncertainties surrounding this issue. In one instance, the Secretary of the Iran Mobile Congress stated that the implementation of this decision involves 'other stakeholders,' including the Anti-Smuggling Headquarters, the Central Bank, etc., who must express their agreement. According to Mohammad Reza Aliyan, it seems that the government is considering a move similar to 'importing used cars,' but the details of iPhone imports, including tariffs, are still unclear and will be addressed in regulations. If the implementation of the government's new policy regarding iPhones is contingent upon the agreement of other stakeholders, it can be assumed that each of these stakeholders may question the decision with their opposition. The Secretary of the Iran Mobile Congress compared this decision to 'car imports,' even though car imports have been repeatedly delayed due to currency allocation issues. Meanwhile, the Minister of Economy stated that the currency for iPhone imports will be provided at an agreed price, and this brand will enter with the same currency source as Samsung and other brands. This is while one of the main reasons for the ban on iPhone imports was previously cited as 'currency shortages.' The official import of the iPhone 14 was immediately banned after its release in Iran. Since then, officials from the 13th and 14th governments have repeatedly promised to lift the ban on iPhone imports.