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worth $1.198bn have been imported into the country.”
In the first eight months of the 2018/2019 Persian year, mobile phone imports reached 5.6mn in terms of the number of phones and $647mn in value, IRICA added. For the entire 12 months of that year, the figures were 11.184mn at a value of $1.442bn.
IRICA spokesman Ruhollah Lotifi said: "A low import custom charge of 5% applied to mobile phones has facilitated the import process for this item. It is low due to the lack of smartphone production in the country.”
Despite the severe devaluation of the Iranian rial making imports more expensive, mobile phones remain a popular item among Iran’s youth.
Brands such as Xiaomi, Huawei, Samsung and Apple are among foreign companies with a big presence in Iran via both official and third-party importers, although Apple is one brand with no official retailer for Iran. It relies on third party imports from China and Persian Gulf countries like the United Arab Emirates to get its products on to the Iranian market.
An iPhone 12 Pro 128gb now retails for IRR515mn (around $2,000 at the free market rate), according to one Iranian online retailer, Arad Mobile. Purchasing that smartphone in the US would cost the buyer $999, before state sales tax.
9.1.7 ​Healthcare sector news
Iranian insurers call for government help as coronavirus payout pressure mounts
The Iranian Insurers’ Organisation—an industry lobby group—has requested financial support from Iran’s government as it contends with the country’s growing death toll from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, according to ​Donyaye Eqtesad.​
Insurance companies, call centres and secondary agents in offices around the country suspended much of their work given closure notices issued by the government as the outbreak worsened, but following their return to operation they have found themselves buckling under the weight of applications and payouts.
Some 400,000 people are employed in the insurance sector in Iran, a country of 83mn. The industry is now facing a perfect storm of policy auto-renewals together with payouts, despite not being able to raise the base prices of policies.
The medical and life insurance segments have reportedly taken the biggest hits in recent days, with huge payouts becoming due.
Also, unemployment benefit, which is backed by insurance, has skyrocketed in recent weeks, with some 600,000 people officially laid off as a consequence of the economic effects of the pandemic in Iran. Earlier, as part of preparations to deal with the outbreak, insurance companies were told by Central Insurance of Iran to recapitalise and meet new minimum liquidity rules ahead of the impending payout surge.
The government in 2017 set IRR2.5 trillion ($65.18mn at the official exchange rate) as the minimum capital requirement for starting a reinsurance firm and IRR1tn as the requirement for starting an insurance firm.
9.1.8​ Agricultural sector news
Iran culls 1.5mn birds after H5N1 avian influenza outbreak
Almost 1.5mn birds have been culled in Iran due to an outbreak of H5N1 avian flu, IRIB reported on February 20.
The bird flu is believed to have originated from a commercial poultry farm in the Central Iranian province of Qom. Birds lost to the disease include rare birds at Qom Bird Garden. Tehran’s Bird Garden has been shut down to protect its
49​ IRAN Country Report March 2021 www.intellinews.com