According to Reuters, its team has obtained proof that Chinese tech giant Huawei engaged in a trade deal with Iran in 2010. That deal involved the sale of computer parts and other technology that originated in the United States, which violates US trade sanctions.
The proof of this deal is two packing lists and other documented correspondence between Huawei and an Iranian company called Mobile Telecommunication Co. of Iran (MCI, or sometimes MCCI).
Previously, starting in 2012, Reuters obtained documents that strongly suggested Huawei sold US-based computer parts to MCI. However, Reuters had only found a price list sent from Huawei to MCI. At the time, Huawei denied a sale actually happened.
Now, though, Reuters claims to have more documents more than 100 additional pages that prove this sale did actually take place. The sale includes physical technology products created by Hewlett-Packard as well as software developed by Microsoft, Symantec, and Novell. These are all US-based firms and selling their products to Iran violates long-standing trade sanctions put in place by the United Staes government.
Early last year, the US charged Huawei with violating sanctions on Iran and stealing trade secrets. The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently added more trade-secret theft charges to the case, and Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou is facing separate charges for allegedly committing fraud to bypass the Iran sanctions.
Huawei has pushed back. The company accused the US of political persecution and “using the strength of an entire nation to come after a private company.” These new findings, however, could undermine Huawei’s rebuttal and bolster the DOJ’s case.
The newly obtained records also show that Panda International Information Technology Co. was involved in acquiring sanctioned hardware and software for Iran. According to Reuters, Panda International has longstanding ties to Huawei and is controlled by a Chinese state-owned company.
“Due to ongoing legal proceedings, it is not appropriate for Huawei to comment at this time,” a Huawei spokesman told Reuters. “Huawei is committed to comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the countries and regions where we operate, including all export control and sanction laws and regulations of the UN, U.S., and EU.”
