Huawei is embroiled in another security row, following reports it supplied kit enabling Iranian officials to monitor web traffic and track mobile users.
The Chinese equipment vendor vehemently denies supplying news censorship technology to Iranian carrier MTN Irancell, or monitoring its network, and claims it is not a major player in the market after losing two key contracts to western competitors this year alone.
“We have never been involved in and do not provide any services relating to monitoring or filtering technologies and equipment anywhere in the world,” a company statement reveals, adding. “[W]e do not provide any customer anywhere in the world with technologies or services that can track a user's location.”
Huawei appears to be responding to a Wall Street Journal report that claims the vendor “plays a role in enabling Iran's state security network,” by allowing authorities to locate and track mobile users.
The report cites sources who claim Huawei referenced its experience of censoring news for China’s government when pitching for the contract for MTN’s mobile news platform.
However, the firm rebuffed by stating it’s work in Iran “is no different than our work in any other market,” which involves the “R&D, manufacturing and sales of telecommunications equipment that is for commercial and civilian use.”
The statement may do little to appease US suspicions over the security of its gear. Such concerns most recently led to the vendor being excluded from the bidding for a major US public safety network project.
Huawei is not the only equipment vendor to be accused of supplying spying kit to Iran. Last year local journalist Isa Saharkhiz sued Nokia Siemens after claiming the firm’s infrastructure allowed authorities to track him via his mobile phone.