For the Taliban, Afghans’ best status symbol is a $2120 iPhone

Commerce is thriving for some entrepreneurs despite the difficulties imposed by the country’s rulers.

Riazat Butt

May 15, 2024 – 8.16am

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Yunis Safi, a businessman in Kabul, knows very well the importance of showing off your phone if you want something done.

“In Afghanistan, your phone is your personality,” he says, smiling, a jewel-encrusted ring on each hand. One boasts an emerald, the other a fat Russian diamond. “When you go to a meeting with the government, the better your phone, the more they respect you.”