Huawei Partner Offered US Tech to Iran

Companies with multiple owners from around the globe, numerous vendors and middlemen, and outsourced manufacturing all add to the challenges of enforcing sanctions on any international products headed to Iran. An Iranian partner to Huawei Technologies is reported to have tried to sell US antenna equipment from Andrew LLC to an Iranian mobile-phone operator. More surprising is that the Iranian mobile-phone operator, 49 percent of which is owned by a South African firm, cancelled the deal before delivery because of US sanctions. “Huawei, based in Shenzhen, China, has an agreement with CommScope Inc. in Hickory, N.C. – which owns Andrew – to purchase Andrew antennas and other equipment and use the products in Huawei systems, according to CommScope,” reports Steve Stecklow for Reuters. “The Andrew antennas were part of a large order for Huawei telecommunications gear that MTN Irancell had placed through Soda Gostar, the documents show.” Huawei responded that it complies with US law and expects third-party vendors to do the same. Parent company CommScope manufactures products in many countries, including China. – YaleGlobal