BHP Billiton's Iran, Cuba Activities Subject of SEC Inquiry

SYDNEY, Aug. 9 --  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission looked into BHP Billiton Ltd.'s (BHP.AU) activities in Iran and Cuba due to Washington's labelling of the countries as state sponsors of terrorism, according to documents filed with the regulator.

In a document filed June 15, the world's largest miner said that it had earned US$361 million in revenues from Iran in the four years to the end of June 2009 and expected to make a further US$74 million from the country in the most recent financial year.

It had also paid around US$2.3 million to state-owned Cuban nickel and mining research companies for projects in Cuba and Guatemala from 2006-2008, the company said.