Parliament: No luxury mobiles to enter / Importers Association: Flagships return to market
The head of the Article 90 Parliamentary Commission believes that the country is engaged in an economic war and due to the lack of foreign exchange resources, all models should be imported. Luxury phones To be avoided. On the other hand, the Mobile Importers Association has issued a statement declaring the term luxury phone meaningless, calling any kind of ban in this regard a cause of corruption and monopoly. The association has also promised that flagship phones will return to the market soon after solving the currency supply problem.
Last week’s news report and Follow up on iPhone import ban There have been many negative reactions from MPs. The Mobile Importers Association has also issued a statement opposing such decisions, promising to return to the market with the reopening of the second flagship hall.
However, Hassan Shojaei, the head of the Parliamentary Principles Commission, told the Khane Mellat news agency that the ban did not end with the handsets of a particular brand and included all handsets and luxury goods:
“The issue of preventing the allocation of half a currency to luxury goods and earphones is not specific to a particular brand; “Rather, in any company, it can be a part of luxury products and a part of non-luxury, the examples of which must be determined by the government with precise criteria.”
According to studies, four percent of the mobile phone market is owned by these goods. But 25% of currency spent It becomes and allocates half the currency to the phones that Used by 4% of the population It is not necessary and the government should decide: “It is also necessary to import such goods even with Non-governmental currency “It must be investigated.”
These words show that the member of parliament means the flagship phones; Therefore, we must wait for the import ban Samsung flagship phones And other brands to the country.
Shojaei believes that in a situation where the country is engaged in economic war and lack of foreign exchange resources, it is not logical to use foreign exchange for the import of goods, including luxury handsets, and this has been warned by the Supreme Leader of the Revolution:
“Last year we allocated about $ 3 billion for medicine. “While nearly $ 1 billion has been spent on importing luxury handsets alone, and certainly not spraying foreign currency on luxury goods is not in the country’s interest, the Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade was invited to the commission.”
In the end, the head of the Article 90 Commission pointed out that in the conditions of economic war, subsidies should not be spent from the pockets of the public on the import of luxury and unnecessary goods, because it is not in the public interest and to the detriment of the people.
Mobile Importers Association: Any ban entails corruption
But following rumors of new bans on the import of some mobile phones, which has been accompanied by inflammation in the phone market; The Association of Importers of Mobile Phones, Tablets and Accessories, in order to be transparent, announced its official position on the issues raised:
“We have to announce the news of the iPhone import ban, which has worried consumers and inflamed the market these days. This debate has been going on for years, and various goals have been pursued since the ban was introduced. However, government stakeholders are always explaining alternative solutions to this type of proposal. As a professional association, we have always expressed our readiness to cooperate and provide experiences in order to find alternative methods instead of banning decision makers. “But so far there has been no consultation or discussion with the association about the plan to ban the iPhone.”
The Association of Mobile Importers has continued its statement to raise public awareness and support the precious supply chain of mobile phones in the country, expressing its concerns about any kind of ban in this area.
The association believes that corruption, monopoly and monopoly will be created behind any ban, and that the only way to prevent this challenge is to develop a free economy. They say it will cause irreparable damage. Because each of these union units has created an average of 4 direct jobs and 40 indirect jobs, and cutting the supply chain will lead to closure and widespread unemployment in these union units. “Therefore, the introduction of such bans, even if not implemented, will create serious inflammation in this network.”
The statement goes on to say that more than 200 companies active in the field of imports have focused all or part of their imports on Apple products and with a lot of investment in this field, in addition to supply and supply, provide after-sales services to Iranian consumers. .
The phrase luxury phone is meaningless
The Association of Mobile Importers believes that the term “luxury” refers to iPhone phones because of their high price of $ 600, but in the field of technology, there is no such thing as luxury:
“There are a variety of models from other brands in this price range, and the iPhone is not alone in this price range. The category of mobile phones, regardless of their price, is based on their features and application features. In this way, mobile phones with superior features fall into the category of flagships, which happen to be priced at more than $ 600. “For example, the Z, S and Samsung series, or Huawei’s new product, the P40, are part of the flagship mobile series.”
The statement stressed that such bans, in addition to a false increase in prices, would lead to a boom in passenger abuse imports for the iPhone and would again make passenger smuggling more profitable for profiteers. Imports of mobile phones, which have now become an essential commodity and have a serious impact on people’s daily lives, are contrary to the principles of economics. free trade “He knows and believes that decisions and policies should revolve around psychology to remove economic barriers.”
The currency supply problem of flagship phones will be solved soon
The association also stated that so far there have been no restrictions or bans on the import of iPhones and other mobile phones over $ 600, and that no official consultation or prohibition has been officially announced through government stakeholders. The only obstacle to the import of this series of phones, which are in the category of flagships, is the lack of providing the currency they need, which will be removed in the next few days with the reopening of the second Nima Hall.
“We believe that the valuable mobile supply and distribution network has been able to withstand the most difficult economic years of the country despite the adversity and cowardly sanctions,” the association said in a statement, emphasizing that it defends legal rights and demands of the mobile phone supply chain. “Always provide this essential commodity in the days of the Gruna epidemic, which the dear people of Iran desperately needed for education and treatment.”
Furthermore, while acknowledging the problems in providing foreign exchange resources and referring to the challenges of traders to return foreign exchange and import essential goods to the country, the Mobile Importers Association has called for collective empathy to overcome these conditions:
“It should be noted that over the years we have had constructive interactions with government stakeholders, and as an advisory body we have always conveyed solutions to the crisis and the consequences of decisions to policymakers and planners. For example, regarding the recent decision of the Foreign Exchange Policy Working Group, which refers to the purification of the export currency of nuts, herbs, saffron, fisheries and fruits and vegetables with the import of mobile phones over $ 600, the consulting party has always raised its concerns. “It seeks to remove obstacles and optimize the implementation process of this resolution.”
According to the association, the disruption of the currency supply process in the second hall of Nima, which was set up to supply the currency required for the import of mobile phones over $ 600, has led to many problems for merchants in clearing and supplying flagship mobile phones required by the market. The positive news we have heard will soon reopen the second hall and calm will return to the mobile market. “We hope that with the decisions that will be taken, both the foreign exchange obligations of exporters will be fulfilled and the mobile market of supply and modern technology in the world will be available to the people.”