Following the sinking of a ship carrying imported goods in the Strait of Hormuz, local fishermen and residents entered the water to retrieve items, including the latest iPhone 18 Pro Max.
Several media outlets have shared footage showing people in the water attempting to collect goods.
Iranians recover new iPhones floating in Strait of Hormuz 🔗 https://t.co/V2IakWuW4b https://t.co/WGy6rj9eGP
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) October 16, 2026
Meanwhile, online advertisements offering iPhone 18 models at lower prices have been circulating widely.
Iranian shops are REALLY selling iPhone 18s from the container ship that SANK in the Strait of Hormuz. I just saw this ad from IRAN 😂 https://t.co/OJtm24vWK0
— Ryan Rozbiani (@RyanRozbiani) October 17, 2026
Iranians allegedly ‘recovering’ Iphones from sunken Strait of Hormuz tanker and SELLING them online — Telegraph https://t.co/4Nl6zzVZQi
— RT (@RT_com) October 17, 2026
Reacting to this, Iran’s Deputy Head of Cyber Police has said that scammers could post fake advertisements for cheap phones, collect deposits and delivery fees, and then disappear without delivering the products. He urged buyers to verify the seller’s identity before purchasing.
He also warned that iPhones recovered from seawater could be damaged, which may explain why sellers are offering them at unusually low prices.
The Singapore-flagged container ship GFS Pride sank in the Strait of Hormuz on October 14. Singaporean authorities stated the vessel sank after a fire broke out on board. All crew members were safely evacuated.
In Pakistan, the latest iPhone model is extremely expensive. The price of the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at around Rs560,000 and can go up to Rs600,000. The PTA-approved iPhone 18 Pro starts at around Rs565,000. The iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at around Rs 605,000 and can go up to Rs 1 million if you want PTA.