Google Play follows Apple to remove Iranian apps

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Google Play has removed Iranian apps from its store, Press TV reported on Saturday. Earlier, Apple had wiped out the country’s apps from its store.

The digital service distributor cited US sanctions against Iran as the reason for action.

Google and Apple were hosting Iranian apps reportedly under a license issued by former President Barack Obama's administration in 2014.

Tehran is still facing sanctions by Washington despite a 2015 nuclear international accord which put an end to Iran's controversial nuclear program. It enforced more restrictions on the Iranian nuclear activities in a bid to ward off western and international sanctions.

Millions of Iranians use iPhones smuggled in from different countries, and thousands of apps have been created for Iranians in App Store.

In August, Apple removed Snapp from its app store, a ride hailing app similar to Uber that is popular in Iran. After a few weeks apps for food delivery, shopping and other services were also removed from the store.

In January, it removed online e-commerce service Digikala, citing noncompliance with Iranian Transactions Sanctions Regulations.

In a message to Iranian developers whose apps were affected by the ban, Apple said, "Under the US sanctions regulations, the App Store cannot host, distribute or do business with apps or developers connected to certain US embargoed countries."

"Since Apple takes a cut of all App Store purchases, sales from Iranian apps generate revenue and are thus in violation of US law," Apple said.

Iran's telecommunications minister said last month that his country would sue a recent Apple’s decision to remove Iranian apps from its App Store.

Apple holds 11 percent share of the Iranian cellphone market, however, it has not observed the Iranian consumer rights, the Minister Mohammad Javad Azari-Jahromi said.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency