Speaking Farsi in the Apple Retail Store will not only ensure that you walk out empty-handed, but possibly in tears, too. An Alpharetta (Georgia) woman got turned down by Apple’s retail staff after speaking Farsi in one of the company’s brick and mortar stores. Apple said it was simply following U.S. policy.
"When we said 'Farsi, I'm from Iran,' he said, 'I just can't sell this to you. Our countries have bad relations,'" Sahar Sabet, 19, said.
"Very hurtful, very embarrassing. I actually walked out in tears," said Sabet, describing her experience.
Apple's policy says there are several “prohibited destinations” against which the U.S. holds complete embargoes. Those include Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria.
Apple’s Export Compliance literature specifically states that, “The exportation, reexportation, sale or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States, or by a U.S. person wherever located, of any Apple goods, software, technology (including technical data), or services to any of these countries is strictly prohibited without prior authorization by the U.S. Government.”
“This prohibition also applies to any Apple owned subsidiary or any subsidiary employee worldwide,” it adds.
The
story up on
wsbtv.com is a lengthy one, chock-full of similar examples and a bit of analysis. But the fact of the matter remains – a woman walked out crying because she was speaking Farsi.
She hadn’t exhibited any intentions of “exporting” the iPad she was buying back to her country, and the staffer was in no position to scrutinize the woman over her ability to speak a language from the Middle East.
For all he knew, Sahar Sabet was a regular U.S. resident – who just so happened to be fluent in Farsi – out to do some shopping with her dear ol’ uncle.
Zack Jafarzadeh, who is originally from Iran, had a similar experience at the Apple Store in Perimeter Mall.
"I would say if you're trying to buy an iPhone, don't tell them anything about Iran. That would be your best bet," he said.
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