SMIC Supplies Iran with Chip Tools

0:00It's March 27. This is Global News Today, your AI-powered source for world news. US officials say China's biggest chip maker, SMIC, has been shipping semiconductor tools to Iran for about a year now. The company faces heavy American sanctions over suspected links to China's military. These tools went straight to Iran's military-industrial complex, and officials believe the shipments are still happening. The collaboration likely included training on SMIC's chip technology. It's not clear if the equipment came from US sources, but sending it to Iran could break sanctions if it did. Neither SMIC, China, nor Iran, has commented on the claims. SMIC landed on a US trade blacklist back in 2020. The firm denies any military ties and says it just does normal business. China insists its trade with Iran is all above board, even as it stays neutral in the Middle East fight. This comes amid tighter US rules on SMIC from earlier this year, after the company made

1:01advance chips for a Huawei phone. Washington wants the block China's access to top-ship gear from American firms, like land research and applied materials. All this ramps up strain between the US and China, especially with the war in the Middle East shaking oil prices and markets since late February. The tools might help Iran build electronics for its defenses, keeping the tech race hot.