The recent historic agreement to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program could have fallout beyond a safer world. Part of the terms of the agreement include lifting sanctions on trade, which may open the door for the iPhone and other Apple products to make their way into the hands of Iran’s nearly 80 million residents.
According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Apple is talking to Iranian distributors to bring its products to the country. The talks are still in the early stages and there are obstacles to overcome.
Iran has to prove that it is complying with the agreement before Western companies can enter the market. This delicate process could stretch into 2016.
Apparently this is not the first time Apple has toyed with the idea of entering the Iranian market. With the countries involved in the nuclear deal jockeying back and forth for the better part of the last two years, Apple has reportedly been waiting in the wings for the sanctions to lift. A 2014 report by the WSJ said a senior Apple official met with Iranian distributors in London to discuss a potential deal to put Apple products in the hands of Iranians.
While an overall deal was not yet done, in May of 2014, sanctions preventing the sale of consumer communications equipment and software in Iran were lifted. Apple has also reportedly consulted the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Frozen Assets Control about launching operations in Iran.
If everything goes as planned, the most likely scenario is that Apple will choose resellers in the country to exclusively sell its products instead of opening its own branded stores. This eliminates risk for Apple if the deal falls apart in the future.
