Obviously just finding these parts doesn't mean necessarily they were sold directly by TI to Iran, for example, but it does raise questions that are not answered by "they were physically manufactured in China."
Sure, but they're most certainly permitted to sell to several billion other people on the planet, most of whom aren't under American jurisdiction. Some of those will be willing to shove the chips in a shipping container and send that on a boat to Iran for a reasonable fee.
It'd be pretty insane for TI to be selling to Iran directly, and finding TI chips in Iran isn't evidence of it.
This is some kind of fantasy? I can go to a million websites or into a store with cash and I can buy microchips for $0.08 without signing any contract. What's next, you are going to keep track of nuts and bolts?
https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/New-Original-In-Stock...
https://eu.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Lumissil/IS31CS8977-QFLS...
But iran.. I don't know what their customs rules are but if you pay import fees, probably unlimited amounts.
How much you can buy? A lot.. eg. 10k voltage regulators is such a common order size, that they have a predefined lowered price even in online stores (without having to contact sales):
eg: https://si.farnell.com/stmicroelectronics/l78l05acutr/v-reg-...
How hard would it be for Iran to open a shell company in third-party country like, say, Iraq to mask the transaction?
Even more fun when the US gets another country to do the arresting dirty work.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/meng-wanzhou-us-court-1.618...
Edit: Not Xiaomi, it was ZTE. https://www.networkworld.com/article/2160515/cisco-said-to-c...
https://www.networkworld.com/article/2160515/cisco-said-to-c...
On the flip side, "it'd be pretty insane" is not evidence at all. Companies do apparently insane things for money all the time!
TI chips in Iran doesn't support the proposition that TI is directly violating sanctions by deliberately selling to Iran in violation of sanctions. There is no evidence of that.
Hate to admit it, but that's some damning evidence. Very, very weak fortunately.
What? My DNA at a crime scene doesn't necessarily eliminate alternative possibilities, but it's still evidence.
This evidence eliminates the possibility that Bob doesn't go to restaurants. Ladies and gentlemen, clearly Bob is the killer!
The costs of violating OFAC far exceed ANY gain TI would see from selling to Iran. You're wrong. Stop posting and go read about the semiconductor supply chain.
And in any case, I agree with you. I am extremely doubtful that this is what's happening, I just think "the penalties are substantial" and "they were likely manufactured in China" are not evidence it's not happening. TI components in Iran are evidence (weak, weak, completely non-actionable!) evidence that it is happening.
They sell 100’s of millions of these parts to pretty much everyone, and they’re dirt cheap.
That TI ‘made them’ (not really, outsourced usually) then ‘sold them’ (not really, almost certainly. TI doesn’t do direct deals like that for pretty much anyone!) is a narrative that is pretty implausible considering how the supply chains actually work for these components.
Major brands already make a huge fuss what content their adds are displayed next to.
So repeatedly having chips with your logo being pulled from the wreckage of a drone that just demolished an apartment building can't be good for PR either.