DigiKala App Removed From Apple Store

DigiKala, Iran’s largest e-commerce store, has had its iOS app removed from the Apple Store according to a new report from local technology blog techrasa.com. The blog surmises several reasons why the app may have been removed, but it notes the most likely cause is due to the US sanctions against Iranian companies. The report adds a response to Iranian app developers concerns from the US Treasury Department and Apple.  “Unfortunately, there is no App Store available for the territory of Iran. Additionally, apps facilitating transactions for businesses or entities based in Iran may not comply with the Iranian Transactions Sanctions Regulations (31CFR Part 560) when hosted on the App Store. For these reasons, we are unable to accept your application at this time. The Office of Foreign Assets Control, which is in charge of monitoring transactions with Iran, and who originally gave permission to plane maker Boeing and other American firms to commence trade, sad “We encourage you to resubmit your application once international trade laws are revised to allow this functionality.“