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Iran fury over Samsung smartphone sanctions at Winter Olympics leads to diplomatic incident

The International Olympic Committee says it will now give the phones to Iranian and North Korean competitors after an ambassador was summoned

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Visitors try Samsung Electronics Galaxy S8 smartphones at its shop in Seoul, South Korea, on January 31, 2018. Iran is furious its athletes in the 2018 Winter Olympics were not included in the giveaway of Samsung smartphones. Photo: AP
The GuardianandSCMP Reporters
Iran’s fury that its Winter Olympians would not receive free Samsung smartphones at the event turned into an international incident when the South Korean ambassador was summoned and told of the “insult.”
The International Olympic Committee, which had initially declined to comment, changed its mind for athletes from both countries but asked North Korean Olympians not to take the devices back to their country. It was not clear if IOC had made a U-turn under pressure. 

“The IOC will provide mobile phones to all athletes of all countries taking part at the Olympic Winter Games Pyeongchang 2018,” an official said. 

“Regarding Iran, we can confirm that all participants will be able to keep the phones. Regarding North Korea, all participants are requested not to take the phones back to their home country.” 

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Police patrol the medal plaza as national flags fly ahead of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games in the Hoenggye-ri village area of Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, South Korea, on February 8. Photo: Bloomberg
Police patrol the medal plaza as national flags fly ahead of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games in the Hoenggye-ri village area of Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, South Korea, on February 8. Photo: Bloomberg

Iran had earlier summoned the South Korean ambassador in Tehran to voice displeasure after its athletes in Pyeongchang were not given one of 4,000 new Samsung smartphones, apparently due to concerns over sanctions. 

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Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday gave an ultimatum to Samsung to overturn the decision immediately, saying he would also give up using his personal Samsung phone. 

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