Telecom Lead Middle East: United Against Nuclear Iran
(UANI) has urged telecom equipment maker ZTE to end its business in Iran.
UANI alleged that the Chinese telecom equipment maker
sold powerful surveillance equipment to Iranian government, which helps
facilitate the regime’s campaign of terror against its own citizens.
UANI wants ZTE to take responsibility for its business in
Iran, and announce a complete withdrawal from the Iranian market.
Please be advised that for a number of reasons, ZTE’s
ambiguous and imprecise statements in no way satisfy the serious concerns of
UANI and the international community regarding ZTE’s irresponsible business in
Iran,” said UANI CEO, Ambassador Mark D. Wallace in a letter to ZTE President
and CEO Shi Lirong.
The surveillance system ZTE sold to TCI as part of a
$130.6 million contract signed in December 2010 enables the Iran government to
monitor voice, text messaging and internet communications by utilizing
intrusive deep packet inspection technology.
UANI and its supporters are skeptical of ZTE’s
spokespersons statement that ZTE will curtail its business in Iran. ZTE should
clarify what action it will take to curtail its business now that the
implications of ZTE’s business on the human rights situation in Iran are clear.
ZTE could face penalties under U.S. sanctions for
providing a backdoor for Iran to acquire U.S. technology. ZTE may have violated
the Iranian Transactions Regulations.
According to Reuters, ZTE’s packing list includes
hardware and software products from Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle, Cisco
Systems, Dell, Juniper Networks and Symantec. These penalties should be of
concern for ZTE, particularly in light of ZTE’s $13 billion in investment in
U.S. companies and intellectual property.
After Huawei, ZTE faces troubles in Iran telecom market
ZTE said it will reduce its business in Iran following a
report that it had sold a surveillance system capable of monitoring telephone
and Internet communications to Iran’s largest telecom firm. Huawei, ZTE’s main
rival in China, had also faced issues in the Iranian telecom market.
According to a Reuters report, ZTE had signed a 98.6
million euro contract with the Telecommunication Co of Iran in December 2010
that included the surveillance system.
editor@telecomlead.com
