Apple Lifts Restrictions On Selling iDevices Destined For Iran

Apple has announced that it is to start selling products, including iDevices, to customers destined for Iran, after the U.S. Treasury Department eased sanctions imposed on the country back on May 30, 2013. The move from the U.S. government meant that the sale and resale of certain "services, software, and hardware incident to personal communications" to people destined for Iran would no longer be disallowed. As such, the United States hoped that as a result the Iranian people would be empowered "as their government intensifies its efforts to stifle their access to information." It had been speculated that as a result, iDevices could soon be heading for Iran, but now an Apple spokesperson has confirmed the decision officially:

We’ve been told by the U.S. government that most Apple products are covered by regulatory changes announced by the Treasury Department. As a result, Apple is no longer banned from selling Macs and iOS devices to customers who plan to bring or send those products to Iran.

Apple's list of prohibited destinations for products now include Cuba, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria, but not Iran. In previous years, mobile devices have played an important role in organizing protests against the Iranian government, and SMS messaging and social networks provide activists with an essential means of communication. From what we understand, Apple's move has been made with immediate effect. See also: Living Earth Updated With Tropical Cyclone Notifications And Other Enhancements, Apple Broke PlexConnect Hack In Latest Apple TV Update, and AutoCAD 360 Updated With Full Retina Support, Improved PDF Display And More.