what export restrictions? (Score 1)

Export controls are largely ineffective and easily bypassed with proxies and intermediate partners. I've heard in several separate cases that people working for multinationals in Iran simply use a middleman to get their hands on any equipment they need. They simply 'advice' their customers that in order to operate foo, they would need x units of component bar which they are sadly unable to deliver due to export restrictions and basically bar 'magically' appears on site when needed, no questions asked.

Basic problem is that the US exports to most countries in the world and exporting from those countries to those to which it doesn't want to export is basically not controlled at all (except by local legislation in e.g. NATO member states). So all you need is a willing middleman in any country the US can export to. The middleman is not in US jurisdiction and under no obligation to even inform US trading partners of intent to export. Likewise US trading partners have no interest whatsoever in knowing what happens to their stuff after they ship it.

Naturally, most US companies maintain good & extensive relations with such middlemen providing them with support, logistics, etc.