US imposes restrictions on companies from Iran, China, UAE, Pakistan and South Africa

The U.S. Department of Commerce has imposed export restrictions on 70 companies from Iran, China, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and South Africa, Azernews reports.

According to the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) within the Department of Commerce, these restrictions target 70 organizations, including 42 companies from China, 19 from Pakistan, 4 from the UAE, 3 from South Africa, and 2 from Iran.

"These entities have been identified by the U.S. government as acting in ways that undermine national security or contravene U.S. foreign policy," the official document states.

As a consequence of the imposed restrictions, U.S. suppliers will be prohibited from sending American-made goods to these sanctioned entities without obtaining a special license. However, the document further specifies that when reviewing license applications, there will be a "presumption of denial", meaning most requests for licenses are expected to be rejected.

These restrictions are part of broader efforts by the U.S. to curb the export of sensitive technologies and materials that could be used for purposes deemed harmful to American interests, particularly in areas such as defense and cybersecurity. The ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China, as well as concerns over the potential use of advanced technologies by adversarial states, have contributed to the increasing frequency of such measures.