Korek Telecom Owner Says Iraq Regulator’s Pressure is Political, Vows to Continue Operations
Speaking to Kurdistan24, Barzani described the CMC’s actions as “a clear injustice,” saying it was unacceptable for a telecommunications company serving millions of subscribers to be shut down.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Sirwan Barzani, owner of Korek Telecom, said on Sunday that measures and pressure imposed on the company by Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission (CMC) are politically motivated rather than financial, asserting that recent court rulings require Korek’s operations in Iraq to be reinstated.
Speaking to Kurdistan24, Barzani described the CMC’s actions as “a clear injustice,” saying it was unacceptable for a telecommunications company serving millions of subscribers to be shut down.
“The issue with Korek is not financial; rather, Iraq itself is indebted to us,” Barzani said, adding that Iraq’s highest judicial authorities had ruled in Korek’s favor. He alleged that the rulings had not been implemented and said the company would not yield to what he described as illegitimate political pressure.
Barzani also accused the CMC of discriminatory treatment, citing what he called violations involving Korek’s telecommunications codes and alleging that a CMC director general had openly promoted another company.
He said an advisory committee formed during former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s cabinet to examine the dispute had ultimately issued a decision in Korek’s favor.
Regarding the company’s subscriber base, Barzani said Korek had more than seven million subscribers before the Baghdad decisions but now has more than 3.5 million, with about 85 percent located in the Kurdistan Region. He added that after being permitted to operate in Baghdad, Korek gained more than one million subscribers there in less than a year.
Barzani said a court ruling issued on Sunday requires Korek’s operations in Iraq to be reopened, and pledged that the company would continue providing services.
He thanked the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) parliamentary bloc in Iraq for opposing what he called the CMC’s unlawful decisions and defending citizens’ rights.
Barzani also reassured Korek subscribers, saying the company enjoys international-level trust and that “no one has the right to shut down a telecommunications company.”