Apple store refuses to sell iPad to Farsi-speaking 'enemy' Iranian-American woman

New York, June 23 (ANI): An Iranian- American woman has said that employees at an Apple store refused to sell her an iPad after they heard her speaking Farsi.

The incident took place as Sahar Sabet a 19-year-old student at the University of Georgia went for shopping with her uncle visiting from Iran.

Sabet told a local TV station WSBTV that a store clerk heard them talking and asked which language they were speaking.

When she answered Farsi and said they were from Iran, the clerk refused to sell her the iPad saying, 'our countries have bad relations'.

"It was very hurtful. Very embarrassing. I actually walked out in tears," the New York Daily News quoted her, as saying.

When Sabet returned the to the store later, the store manager showed her Apple's export policy to explain why she was denied the sale.

The policy lists Iran as one of five 'prohibited destinations' that the U.S. holds complete embargoes against.

Exporting, selling or supplying Apple products to Iran is strictly prohibited without prior permission from the federal government, the policy states.

According to the report, an Apple spokesman Steve Dowling, however said that their policies 'do not discriminate against anyone.'

"Our retail stores are proud to serve customers from around the world, of every ethnicity. Our store teams are multilingual and diversity is an important part of our culture. We don't discriminate against anyone," the paper quoted Dowling, as saying. (ANI)