A brazen iPhone scam in Iran reflects its economic struggles and tensions with the West

By NASSER KARIMI
Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A shop in Iran’s capital has been offering consumers in the Islamic Republic one of the hottest products in the country — an iPhone that came out in 2021. But instead of getting their hands on the handsets, police and prosecutors in Iran allege that customers found themselves ensnared by a business owner running a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. The scam is a sign of the economic woes plaguing Iran after decades of Western sanctions. Economic pressures have been growing as Tehran rapidly advances its nuclear program, helps arm Russia’s war on Ukraine, steps up support for proxy militias in the Middle East and violently cracks down on dissent ahead of parliamentary elections that will be held Friday.