Mobile phones worth $410 million have entered Iran during the 11 months to Feb. 19, indicating a 96% year-on-year increase in cellphone imports in terms of value.
According to data published on the website of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration, cellphones were Iran’s 13th biggest import, claiming a 0.86% share of the import bill.
IRICA’s report does not mention the number of cellphones entering Iran during the 11-month period, however earlier reports put the number at 2.6 million.
Hamid Reza Dehqaninia, an official at Iran’s Headquarters for Combating the Smuggling of Commodities and Foreign Exchange, said the introduction of the Cellphone Registry Scheme is responsible for the significant increase in imports, as it disconnects contraband phones from the local mobile operators’ network.
Aimed at curbing cellphone smuggling, the Telecoms Ministry, Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration, the Communications Regulatory Authority and the Industries Ministry introduced the Cellphone Registry Scheme that bars local operators from offering services to contraband phones.
The scheme has been phased to avoid giving a shock to the cellphone market.
It has been applied to Apple, Motorola, Blackberry, Google Pixel and LG, while Nokia and Huawei will be covered as of March 10.
An estimated 7.2 million phones are sold in Iran every year with an average price of 14 million rials ($304).
IRICA says it lost $625 million in revenues during the last fiscal that ended in March 2017 due to the rampant smuggling of cellphones. Mobile phone importers pay an 18% tariff.
