With which countries are FCC-licensed amateur radio stations prohibited from exchanging communications?

The correct choice is based on the regulatory framework established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding amateur radio operations. The FCC has a clear guideline that prohibits communications with any country whose government has formally notified the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) of its objections to such exchanges.

This means that if a country has officially expressed its disapproval to the ITU, FCC-licensed operators must refrain from making contact with amateur stations in that country. The ITU serves as an international body that coordinates telecommunications and establishes standards among countries, and thus, its notifications carry significant weight regarding international communication policies.

The other choices, while they reference organizations like the ARRL or other bodies, do not align with the formal mechanisms through which objections to amateur communications are communicated internationally. The ARRL does not have the authority to impose bans on communications as recognized by the global amateur radio community, nor does the IARU, in the same formal capacity as the ITU. Therefore, the focus on the ITU as the primary governing body for such communications is what makes this answer accurate.