Apple Pulling Iranian Apps From App Store Due to U.S. Sanctions

[MacRumors]

Apple is "aggressively" cracking down on apps created by Iranian developers for users in Iran in an effort to comply with U.S. sanctions, reports The New York Times.

Apple does not offer its products in Iran, nor is there an Iranian App Store, but there are still millions of iPhones in the country that have been smuggled in from places like Dubai and Hong Kong. Iranian developers have created thousands of apps for these users, offering them in other App Stores outside of Iran.

The New York Times said Apple on Thursday removed Snapp, a popular app for an Uber-like ride hailing service that is popular in Iran. Many apps for food delivery, shopping, and other services have also been pulled over the course of the last few weeks.

Iranian developers who have been affected by the ban are being given the following message:

"Under the U.S. sanctions regulations, the App Store cannot host, distribute or do business with apps or developers connected to certain U.S. embargoed countries."

An Apple spokesperson confirmed the authenticity of the message Iranian app developers are receiving, but declined to comment further on the matter.

In January, Apple started removing iOS apps originating in Iran from the App Store, and in February, told Iranian developers to remove any payment options from their apps in order to stop Iranian money from entering the United States. The more expansive removal of Iranian apps follows these initial efforts and comes on the heels of a new sanctions bill President Trump signed into law earlier this month.

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.

Article Link: Apple Pulling Iranian Apps From App Store Due to U.S. Sanctions

 

[Mansu944]

Good. I guess. I’m not sure what good it does beyond punishing Iranian iPhone users.

 

[497902]

Sanctions are dumb. They always hit regular people the most and barely do any harm to governments.

 

[okboy]

**** the imperialist fascists in the United States.
[doublepost=1503625963][/doublepost]

Sanctions are dumb. They always hit regular people the most and barely do any harm to governments.

The US knows this. The point is to put the people through so much pain and death that they revolt. The US then funds terrorist groups involved in the revolt they created, and ousts the government in favour of one that agrees to giving in to corporate America's agenda.

 

[garirry]

I just don't see how are country-wide sanctions (or boycotts, or anything of that sort) going to do any good for anyone: the citizens aren't the people who run the country, and therefore shouldn't suffer from whatever conflict there is with the government.

That being said, considering the iPhone not only isn't sold there but Apple's services are completely unavailable there either, I think removing those apps is a justifiable action.

 

[JosephAW]

There may be some backlash for Tim for removing the Koran from the App Store.

 

[Glockworkorange]

Sanctions are dumb. They always hit regular people the most and barely do any harm to governments.

I guess we could just just bombs

 

[Kaibelf]

I just don't see how are country-wide sanctions (or boycotts, or anything of that sort) going to do any good for anyone: the citizens aren't the people who run the country, and therefore shouldn't suffer from whatever conflict there is with the government.

That being said, considering the iPhone not only isn't sold there but Apple's services are completely unavailable there either, I think removing those apps is a justifiable action.

Let’s be honest here. Our own government doesn't give a lick about collateral damage, be it unrest, civilian casualties, or beating a weak country to death because we can’t go after ones we aren’t sure we can handle. It’s sad, but the American electorate frankly doesn’t care because as long as they can pound their chests once in a while and self-absolve their complicity on Sundays it gives them/us a sense of purpose and strength. Will it change? Probably not. It would help if people would just be honest about the people we see in our mirrors, though.

 

[canesalato]

What the heck! This is a BAD decision. This is the ugly face of the post-pc devices future, where everything is centralized and people can be put out of business from one day to the next one. I hope this episode as well as the VPN crackdown in China make people realize that we need an alternative to Apple app store on iOS. And no, jailbreaking is not an alternative.
iOS gatekeeper would be one.
[doublepost=1503627814][/doublepost]

I guess we could just just bombs

Yes, for the US is either sanctions or bombs...that's the problem

 

[ksnell]

**** the imperialist fascists in the United States.
[doublepost=1503625963][/doublepost]

The US knows this. The point is to put the people through so much pain and death that they revolt. The US then funds terrorist groups involved in the revolt they created, and ousts the government in favour of one that agrees to giving in to corporate America's agenda.

Yeah they are totally going to revolt because they couldn't get an app on their iPhone (coming from one of these American corporations you speak of). Besides, it's not like Iran is breaking any international treaties/laws or anything. /s

 

[macTW]

Good. I guess. I’m not sure what good it does beyond punishing Iranian iPhone users.

They aren't punishing them. They're obeying the law.

People never seem to enjoy it when Apple obeys the law. They pay rightful taxes within the law and people whine. And here, people don't like it despite the law.

 

[Mansu944]

They aren't punishing them. They're obeying the law.

People never seem to enjoy it when Apple obeys the law. They pay rightful taxes within the law and people whine. And here, people don't like it despite the law.

That’s not what I mean. I understand the law. I’m just saying I wonder the effect of these blanket laws. Screw the ayotollah.

 

[goobot]

Yes, for the US is either sanctions or bombs...that's the problem

I'm not advocating for any side but how else do you fight a war?

 

[Apple blogger]

So is Apple going to give them their 70% share of revenue till date? And are they going to refund their subscription of $99?

 

[alphaod]

So is Apple going to give them their 70% share of revenue till date? And are they going to refund their subscription of $99?

They can probably do neither seeing sanctions mean they can't send or receive money.

 

[Solomani]

There may be some backlash for Tim for removing the Koran from the App Store.

Tim will only pull off the Iranian (Shia) version of Koran, which the Orange POTUS White House is demanding for him to do. But the Wahabbi Jihadist Extremist September 11 Killing Saudi Arabian Koran will remain, because those Saudi Wahabbi September 11 Killers are all friends and business partners of the Orange POTUS and American capitalism.
[doublepost=1503640861][/doublepost]

They aren't punishing them. They're obeying the law.

People never seem to enjoy it when Apple obeys the law. They pay rightful taxes within the law and people whine. And here, people don't like it despite the law.

The same Apple-haters whine when Apple does obey the law. And they are the same crybabies when Apple does exploit loopholes in the law (overseas tax evasion). Lots of hypocrites in MR with morals even worse than Apple's.

 

[0098386]

Gosh, imagine supporting something like this. Poor Iranians.

 

[Superhai]

They aren't punishing them. They're obeying the law.

The purpose of the law is to punish.

 

[Sefstah]

Apple is god.
Apple is law.
Some countries aren't worthy of our apps.

 

[Solomani]

Apple is god.
Apple is law.
Some countries aren't worthy of our apps.

As was said above, Apple didn't make up the sanction laws. The Trump White House and Congress did. Donald Trump and the Republicans in Congress are the ones that dream of invading and waging war with Iran. The warmonger Republicans have been wanting to destroy Iran for decades. They want to sabotage any treaties (e.g. the negotiated nuclear program treaty) with Iran.

Apple has no choice but to follow the US sanction laws or it will be held in criminal contempt by US State Department and courts.

 

[alphaod]

Apple is god.
Apple is law.
Some countries aren't worthy of our apps.

If you have a business in the US and you would also have to stop doing business with Iran.

 

[sorcery]

I'm not advocating for any side but how else do you fight a war?

Which war is that? Iran is currently an ally against Al-Daesh.

 

[Solomani]

Which war is that? Iran is currently an ally against Al-Daesh.

The war that Republican warmongers in Congress have wanted for years: the war to topple the Islamic Republic of Iran, for regime change. This is what Netanyahu wants, for the USA to lead the charge against destroying the Islamic Republic.

 

[canesalato]

As was said above, Apple didn't make up the sanction laws. The Trump White House and Congress did. Donald Trump and the Republicans in Congress are the ones that dream of invading and waging war with Iran. The warmonger Republicans have been wanting to destroy Iran for decades. They want to sabotage any treaties (e.g. the negotiated nuclear program treaty) with Iran.

Apple has no choice but to follow the US sanction laws or it will be held in criminal contempt by US State Department and courts.

This is true, but again, it’s an opportunity to think about the future towards which we are moving. Think about the Mac. You can’t force apple to block Mac Apps outside the App Store. We need Apps outside the store. It’s about our own freedom. In China, iOS users are being locked from the open internet after Apple removed VPN apps from the store. They cannot access information. And one day this could happen in Europe, Japan, and America! It’s not Apple fault, they abided by the law and they will do so in the future. But this would have been impossible on the Mac. They need to open the platform for everybody’s (and their own) sake

 

[Solomani]

This is true, but again, it’s an opportunity to think about the future towards which we are moving. Think about the Mac. You can’t force apple to block Mac Apps outside the App Store. We need Apps outside the store. It’s about our own freedom. In China, iOS users are being locked from the open internet after Apple removed VPN apps from the store. They cannot access information. And one day this could happen in Europe, Japan, and America! It’s not Apple fault, they abided by the law and they will do so in the future. But this would have been impossible on the Mac. They need to open the platform for everybody’s (and their own) sake

What you're saying, about opening the platform, is a completely different issue to what many posters have criticized Apple here. Posters are bashing Apple for being oppressive in kicking out Iranian app developers, when in reality Apple is being forced to obey a sanction law under Warmonger Iran-Hater Trump and US Congress (which creates legislation in the USA). Did you not realize by now that Tim Cook (and most of Apple and Silicon Valley leaders) openly despises many of Trump's authoritarian policies?

As for your last point, opening up Apple's iOS, I agree. It would be nice, and it does seem like we are moving in that direction, since iOS may soon have an open file-system, which might unlock many possibilities outside of the App Store walled garden. You realize that in the recent betas of iOS11, Apple has been experimenting on this, right?