(Telecompaper) ZTE has been banned from buying components or parts from the US for seven years, after the US Commerce Department said the company violated the terms of a settlement reached last year with the US government, the Wall Street Journal reported. ZTE was fined for shipping equipment to Iran and North Korea in times of sanction. It then paid a full bonus to the employees that engaged in these practices and gave false information, moves the US found to be against the settlement terms agreed upon. Separately, the UK has also warned UK telecom companies to not use ZTE equipment and services, on security grounds. Cybersecurity officials in the country are concerned that China could force ZTE to infiltrate or sabotage telecom equipment.