Iran’s cellphone imports decline by 27 percent in 4 months annually

(MENAFN) According to the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), a total of 2.857 million cellphone handsets, valued at USD688 million, were imported into Iran during the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year, spanning from March 20 to July 20. This figure represents a notable decrease of 27 percent compared to the same period in the previous year. Additionally, there was a 17 percent decline in the value of these imports year on year, as reported by an Islamic republic news agency.

During this four-month period, the majority of the mobile handsets, totaling more than 2,739,179 units, were brought into the country through commercial channels. In contrast, 117,826 cellphone handsets were imported by passengers. This delineation between commercial imports and those brought in by passengers underscores the diverse methods through which these devices enter the Iranian market.

Earlier in the year, the IRICA had disclosed that in the first three months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20 to June 20), 2,049,279 cellphone handsets, valued at USD527.509 million, were imported into the country. Out of these, 1,950,483 mobile handsets were imported commercially, while 98,976 units were brought in by passengers. The data from this period indicated a reduction of 27 percent in volume and an 11 percent decrease in value when compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

Furthermore, on December 30 of the preceding year, the president of IRICA had announced that over 10 million cellphone handsets, valued at USD2.2 billion, were imported in the first nine months of that year, starting from March 2023. This substantial volume of imports highlights the significant demand for mobile phones in Iran, despite the observed declines in both the volume and value of imports in the more recent months.

MENAFN23072024000045015839ID1108471303