The firm announced its retreat from Iran after receiving very bad publicity when it was exposed as selling equipment to Iran that will allow the regime to spy more easily on its citizens.
“ZTE has provided standard communications and network solutions to Iran on a small scale,” the Shenzhen-based company said in a statement. “However, due to local issues in Iran and its complicated relationship with the international community, ZTE has restricted its business practices in the country since 2011. ZTE no longer seeks new customers in Iran and limits business activities with existing customers.”
Last week, ZTE executives told Reuters they were curtailing their business in Iran, after Reuters said ZTE had signed a $130.6 million contract with the Telecommunication Company of Iran in December 2010. That contract included a surveillance system capable of monitoring telephone and Internet communications, sources said.
ZTE joins other telecom equipment providers, such as Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks and Huawei Technologies in restricting business in Iran after being exposed selling spy gear to the regime.
Budget is rejected, then gets approved next day
The Majlis Budget Committee rejected President Ahmadi-nejad’s draft budget Sunday—but 24 hours later reversed itself and approved it.
The committee reportedly rejected the budget because of eight major disputes with the Administration, including Majlis opposition to the Administration decision to boost the monthly welfare payments to citizens without advance approval from the Majlis.
But soon after the committee acted Sunday, Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani objected and said, “Given the circumstances in the country, the budget bill should be approved swiftly.”
Speaker Larijani did not say to what “circumstances” he was referring. Some news reports cited the nuclear talks coming up this weekend, but there is really no link between the talks and the budget.
Larijani also invoked the name of the Supreme Leader, saying he had called for “greater unity.”
The very next day, the committee convened and took another vote, approving the budget outline on a 20-5 vote with four abstentions, indicating that a huge portion of the committee membership switched sides overnight.