Korek Telecom Appeals to PM Al-Zaidi to Overturn CMC Service Termination
At a Glance
- Korek requested the Iraqi Prime Minister to reverse the shutdown.
- The company blames a political faction for the regulatory actions.
- The CMC has seized all of Korek's movable and immovable properties on Sunday.
Korek Telecom stated that the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission's decision to terminate the operator's services was influenced by a specific political faction, calling for the Prime Minister to intervene.
Key Statement and Focus Area
- Korek Telecom said the CMC’s statement “does not surprise us, as we have grown accustomed to the Commission taking successive arbitrary measures from time to time, driven by the political faction to which the Commission's management belongs.”
- “We look forward to the intervention of the fighter of corruption, His Excellency Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, to deliver justice to our company against the inequity it has faced and continues to face,” the company noted.
In a statement, the telecommunications company responded to the Communications and Media Commission’s decision to completely shut down and seize all its assets due to critical contractual violations and financial breaches, expressing “deep regret” over the move.
Korek stated that a special committee established in May 2025 concluded with recommendations ratified by the former prime minister. Based on these findings, the CMC mandated a settlement contract with the operator in September 2025, which the company hoped would halt regulatory measures.
The statement noted that the September 23, 2025, settlement contract was signed alongside a conditional agreement granting Korek a 4G operating license to match other operators.
“However, those who were displeased with this achievement used an administrative obstacle as a pretext, preventing the completion of the license agreement signing procedures, which legally delayed the implementation of the settlement contract,” the statement added.
The company clarified that the CMC cancelled the settlement contract on June 2, 2026, following its refusal to implement government solutions aimed at resolving administrative obstacles.
“This was done so it could execute its plan to terminate the only national company among the mobile operators,” Korek said, highlighting that the commission repeatedly broadcasted plans against the company throughout the appeal period, leading to today's public statement.
The company emphasized that the head of the CMC executive apparatus lacks the authority to cancel the settlement contract, as it was approved by higher authorities.
“The practices and pressures exerted on our company for known motives prompt us to question whether the Commission has considered how these unjustified, unprofessional, and non-neutral measures will impact Iraq's reputation before foreign investors,” the statement added.
Korek further underlined that it deferred final judicial rulings worth hundreds of millions of dollars against the CMC out of respect for government authorities.
“We promise our subscribers that we will spare no effort to defend their rights and champion justice, relying on the wisdom and courage of the country’s rational leadership and, before that, our just judiciary,” the statement said.
FYI
Following a prolonged dispute over unpaid fees and fines, the CMC took legal enforcement actions against Korek Telecom after a late-2024 debt restructuring contract collapsed.
Korek rejected the measures as an illegal, politically motivated attempt to force it out of the market, while the CMC maintained that its actions comply with federal law to safeguard public interest.
The Communications and Media Commission announced legal and financial measures against Korek Telecom yesterday, including the seizure of its movable and immovable assets following a breach of contractual terms.
The regulatory body issued an urgent directive instructing subscribers, businesses, and government institutions to immediately halt all financial transactions with the operator ahead of an expected service shutdown.
Furthermore, the CMC ordered company employees and landlords to safeguard all property, towers, and legal data, warning that unauthorized access or data leakage will result in direct legal liability.
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