- Iranians holding Ashura mourning for Imam Hussein
- Third step: Iran officially informs EU of plan to expand nuclear R&D
- Iran expands nuclear R&D program: Rouhani
- Iran goes ahead in space tech, despite US sanctions: ISA
- Resistance Front undermining Israeli regime power: Top commander
- Iran: 7 crew members of detained UK ship freed
- US addiction to sanction threaten its power: Iran’s Zarif
- Dutch role in 2007 Stuxnet attack on Iran’s nuclear site under scrutiny: Iraian FM Spox.
- Iran: ‘Sustainable Security 2019’ kicks off in Caspian Sea
- Iran’s Zarif leaves Tehran for Moscow
- Shiraz University ranked 1st in liver transplantation: Iranian health official
- Japan’s Abe to meet Iran’s president to discuss easing tension in region
- Downing of US spy drone shattered war threats against Iran: Top IRGC commander
- IAEO head reports development of first ion-therapy hospital in west of Asia
- Iranian Taekwondo team wins 2019 World Cup championship
- US sanctions failed to force Iran to buckle: Report
- Crew fixing Iran oil tanker broken down in Red Sea
- As Iranians hold nerves, US seeks to scare off trade
- Leader expresses concern about Kashmir, urges India to follow fair policy toward Muslim-majority region
- Iran saffron exports down due to smuggling, government restrictions: Exporter
- Iran FM warns US against ‘serious miscalculation’ in Persian Gulf
- Iran’s resistance policy led to release of oil tanker: MP
- Iran in reverse brain drain as top students come home in rising numbers
- Iran official calls for compensation for tanker seizure
- Iran hails N Korea for standing against ‘unilateral’ US demands
- Shia Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Ghadir
- North Korea praises Iran’s anti-US struggle
- Zarif says to meet French president Friday
- Iranian court hearing case of UK oil tanker
- Over half of Japanese voters oppose joining US-led anti-Iran coalition in Persian Gulf: Poll
- IME trade ups by 21 percent in July
- Finland backs INSTEX in defiance of US
- US anti-Iran policy in high seas harms Europeans: LA Times
- Iran, China confer on Syria
- Iran, Finland share views on Persian Gulf dialogue forum: Zarif
- Iran warns US against seizure of oil tanker
- Iraq eager to benefit from Iranian Police’s experience
- Iran planning 3rd step to reduce nuclear commitments: Spokesman
- Leader grants clemency to over 1,000 Iranian inmates
- Registration for Arbaeen Pilgrimage to begin in Iran on Friday
- Iran, Iraq agree to reopen Khosravi border crossing
- Iran deplores suicide attack at Kabul wedding hall
- Iran to hold int'l hand-woven carpets expo
- Zarif meets with Iran-Kuwait Friendship Group members
- Adrian Darya oil tanker not under any sanctions, says Iran envoy
- ‘Iran to stay in nuclear deal as long as its interests are met’
- India envoy happy with positive trend of trade with Iran
- Iran’s annual export of white meat tops 2.5m tons: Minister
- Iranian scientist discovers new state of matter
- Iran, Japan diplomats discuss bilateral ties
- Iran, Ansarullah, European representatives Yemen developments
- ‘Iran to become self-sufficient in producing aircraft engines'
- US issues seizure warrant for Iranian supertanker 'Grace 1'
- Neanderthal tooth unearthed near Iran’s Zagros mountain
- Iran’s Zarif due in Kuwait on Saturday
- US faces humiliating defeat after Gibraltar releases Iranian tanker: Envoy
- Spokesman rejects claim on Iran’s commitment in exchange for tanker release
- Zarif reacts to release of Iranian tanker in Gibraltar
- Israel, UAE engaged in secret talks on Iran arranged by US: Report
- US threatens visa ban as Iranian-operated tanker sets to sail from Gibraltar
- Enemies must factor Iran's global power in their calculations: IRGC's chief commander
- Trump’s administration conflicting messages to Iran baffle go-betweens: Report
- Gibraltar releases Iran-operated tanker despite US pressure
The Company Considers Joining Other Western Firms as Sanctions Ease.
Senior Apple executives have met potential Iranian distributors at Apple’s regional headquarters on London’s Hanover Street, people familiar with the matter said.
The Cupertino, Calif., company explored having Iranian partners sell Apple products at so-called premium resellers, some of the people said. Instead of company-operated Apple stores, such outlets would be midsize franchisees that sell Apple products only, a model the company has used in Europe and Asia, the people said.
A move into Iran for any Western company is still fraught with obstacles. Yet Apple’s conversations come amid a flurry of similar exploratory contacts between Western companies and Iranian businesspeople about how to set up shop in Iran, should a recent diplomatic thaw lead to a permanent easing of economic sanctions.
Tehran, eager to end several years of economic isolation because of its nuclear program, has been on a charm offensive with Western businesses, eager to lure them back or persuade them to do business for the first time. European companies were the most active in early discussionsincluding, in some instances, participating in trade missions to Tehran, while U.S. companies mostly held back.
Some restrictions, such as bans on exporting spare parts for aircraft and cars to Iran, were lifted in January after Tehran reached an interim nuclear deal with world powers. Most sanctions against Iranian financial institutions remain in place, however, making it nearly impossible to transfer payments into or out of Iran.
Apple would be allowed to export its iPhone to Iran because of a U.S. decision last year to lift rules that had barred the sale of consumer communications technologies in Iran.
Other big Western businesses are starting to put their toes in the water, as well.
Boeing Co. last week said it sold aircraft manuals and navigation charts to Iran Air in the third quarter, its first such sales to Iran since 1979. Dell Inc. and General Electric Co. have also been in touch with potential Iranian distributors to sell personal computers and power-generation equipment, respectively, if sanctions are lifted, according to people familiar with the contacts.
Dell said by email that it follows U.S. embargo and sanctions rules and "will consider opportunities if/when they become available” but doesn’t comment on potential partners. GE said has it has a "long-standing policy not to do business in Iran unless related to humanitarian activities.”
French auto maker Renault SA has sought ways to execute payments after it was allowed to resume sending spare parts to Iran. And European oil companies have met Iranian officials to discuss how to resume operations.
U.S. officials have warned executives not to rush in hastily, however, and most companies aren’t likely to sign even preliminary deals until permanent sanctions relief is in place.
For Apple, Iran’s 77 million people offer a particularly attractive new market. Iran’s population is relatively young, with42% of its people under age 25. Iran also boasts a relative large middle class. And despite decades of animosity between Tehran and the West, many well-off Iranians still embrace Western brands and trends.
Several obstacles remain to doing business in Iran. For one, any Western company would have to navigate the banking restrictions.
Apple also faces some particular challenges. The company would find it difficult to choose partners among mobile-service providers—if it decides to go that route—because of heavy state involvement with the sector.
A spokesman for the Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York said he couldn’t immediately comment.
WSJ
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