HONG KONG (AP) — Chinese technology company ZTE says it has halted its main operations after U.S. authorities banned it from doing business with American suppliers.

ZTE said in a statement late Wednesday that "major operating activities of the company have ceased" after the U.S. Commerce Department issued the "denial order" last month.

The company was slapped with a seven-year sales ban in a case involving exports of telecom gear to Iran and North Korea.

ZTE, which also makes smartphones, had said the ban threatened its existence by cutting off access to U.S. suppliers of key components like microchips.

The suspension came amid worsening trade tensions between the U.S. and China centered on technology-related intellectual property, though ZTE's case dates back to before President Donald Trump took office in January 2017.