Apple’s unreleased iPhone 18 smartphones are being advertised on the streets of Tehran at unusually low prices after a container ship sank near the strategic Strait of Hormuz on October 13, Iran International reported on Saturday.
Footage circulating across Arab media outlets on Thursday evening showed people retrieving floating shipping containers from the sea. Small boats collected scattered cargo, including boxes of what reports identified as the latest Apple devices and expensive perfumes. The exact identities of the individuals gathering the goods from the water remain unclear, and official confirmation of the shipwreck incident is still missing.
Cyber Warnings and Maritime Security Realities
In response to the viral advertisements, Iran’s cyber police issued warnings urging prospective buyers to avoid paying deposits or advance fees. Authorities stressed that buyers must inspect products and verify seller identities first, noting that scammers could exploit reports of the shipwreck to hawk non-existent items at tempting prices.
These opportunistic sales coincide with escalating maritime friction across West Asia. Earlier on Saturday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that an unauthorized supertanker carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil struck a sea mine while navigating the Strait of Hormuz. According to Euronews, the blast triggered a fierce fire and a massive explosion.
The IRGC navy claimed the targeted vessel had disabled its positioning and radar systems to evade detection. The Strait of Hormuz is closed, and the consequence of defying Iranian regulations in the Strait of Hormuz is burning in the fire of trust in the terrorist US army,
the IRGC navy stated through Iranian state media.
Contested Control of a Critical Chokepoint
The Strait of Hormuz serves as a vital artery for global energy markets, handling roughly 25% of the world’s seaborne oil trade. Tensions have choked the passage since the Iran war broke out in late February, prompting US and Israeli strikes, subsequent Iranian closures, and a US naval blockade on Iranian ports.
Washington continues to dispute Tehran’s assertions of control over the waterway. Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), maintained that commercial traffic continues to move despite regional volatility. Let me be clear, the Strait of Hormuz is controlled by the United States and our regional partners, not Iran,
Cooper stated on Friday. It remains open for business.
Adding to the maritime security concerns, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that two additional vessels transiting the Persian Gulf off the coast of Saudi Arabia were struck on Friday. Monitoring agencies confirmed that all crew members aboard those ships remained safe.
| Incident Date | Location | Event Description | Reporting Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 13, 2026 | Strait of Hormuz | Container ship sinks; cargo including iPhone 18 units scatters into the sea. | The Times of India |
| October 17, 2026 | Strait of Hormuz | Supertanker carrying crude oil strikes a sea mine, causing an explosion and fire. | Euronews |
| October 17, 2026 | Persian Gulf (off Saudi Arabia) | Two transit vessels struck; crews reported safe by maritime monitors. | The Times of India / Euronews |
President Donald Trump has affirmed that Washington will maintain its blockade of Iranian maritime traffic through the Strait as diplomatic negotiations proceed.
