It appears the App Store is no longer accessible to iPhone and iPad users in Iran, with Apple apparently implementing a countrywide IP ban.

According to Bleeping Computer, Iranians have been unable to access the App Store since approximately noon GMT, and when attempting to use the App Store, they're receiving a message that the store is unavailable in the country.

appstoreunavailableiran
All Iranian IPs appear to be unable to use the App Store at the current time. Iranian security researcher Meysam Firouzi told Bleeping Computer that he was able to connect to the App Store when using a VPN, even though he has an account with Iranian details.

Because of U.S. sanctions, Apple does not sell its products in Iran nor is there an Iranian App Store, but there are millions of iPhones in the country that have been smuggled from places like Dubai and Hong Kong. iPhone users in Iran have previously been able to access the App Store by setting their devices to other regions.

Back in August, Apple began removing apps from its App Stores created by Iranian developers for Iranian citizens, such as Snapp, a popular app for an Uber-like ride hailing service popular in Iran. Apple has now gone one step further and appears to be preventing all users with an Iranian IP from accessing the App Store entirely.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tag: App Store

Top Rated Comments

iapplelove Avatar
iapplelove
83 months ago
And over here we are complaining about battery statistics lol
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
east85 Avatar
east85
83 months ago
If anything, hopefully this will encourage VPN use in the region.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nermal Avatar
Nermal
83 months ago
My guess is that its their government thats blocking it.
I'd imagine that it's Apple doing it; if it was being blocked further down the line then the error would likely be a more generic "unable to connect".
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Solomani Avatar
Solomani
83 months ago
I witnessed an Iranian smuggling operation first hand leaving from Oman. They load up boats with alcohol, cigarettes and porn and cross the bay several times a day...
So in other words, they are humans just like us Americans. They like their booze, their cigarettes, their porn. I understand they live under an authoritarian regime (like most MidEast governments), but I fail to understand why GOP warmongers dream of bombing Iranian cities and annihilating its civilians.

Iranian civilians, strangely enough, live "more freely" than those Medieval Saudis where the women still cannot drive (but the Saudi King promises it's coming). Iranian women have been driving for decades, and also practicing as physicians, scientists, and Iranian women also serve as Ministers of Parliament and as Vice Presidents of their Republic.… something unthinkable in Saudi. And yet, the USA considers the oppressive Saudis as "our friends".
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jeaz Avatar
Jeaz
83 months ago
How does Google/Android deal with this?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
samh004 Avatar
samh004
83 months ago
In the long run, how does isolating a country’s people from the App Store and (eventually) the internet further your cause to reduce their radicalisation? I don’t think it does, just the opposite. Apple may have their hands tied here but it makes no sense to me. I’d want them (citizens of Iran) to see the App Store and the world.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
Read Full Article • 68 comments
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Read Full Article • 160 comments
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
Read Full Article • 162 comments
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
Read Full Article • 130 comments
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...
Read Full Article • 80 comments
iPhone 17 Plus Feature Purple

iPhone 17 Rumored to Feature Mechanical Aperture

Tuesday July 23, 2024 9:32 am PDT by
Apple is planning to release at least one iPhone 17 model next year with mechanical aperture, according to a report published today by The Information. The mechanical system would allow users to adjust the size of the iPhone 17's aperture, which refers to the opening of the camera lens through which light enters. All existing iPhone camera lenses have fixed apertures, but some Android...
Read Full Article • 60 comments