Sanction: Iranian Cell-Phone Carrier Obtains Banned US Tech

A fast growing Iranian mobile-hone network managed to obtain sophisticated U.S. computer equipment in spite of sanctions that prohibit sales of American technology to Iran, interviews and documents show.

MTN Irancell, a joint venture between MTN Group Ltd of South Africa and an Iranian government-controlled consortium, sourced equipment from Sun Microsystems inc.

Hewleftt Packard Co and Cisco Systems Inc. the documents and interviews show, MTN owns 49 per cent of the joint venture but provided the initial funding.

The procurement – through a network of tech companies in Iran and the Middle East – offers further evidence of the limitations of U.S. economic sanctions.

The sanctions are intended to curb Iran’s nuclear programme, which Techran maintains is peaceful. No U.S. company can sell goods or services to Iran.

But U.S. enforcement has focused on containing Iranian banks, terrorism, Iran’s oil industry, and individuals and companies that western capitals believe are involved in Tehran’s nuclear development programme.