ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Korek Telecom has called on Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to intervene in its dispute with the Communications and Media Commission (CMC), accusing the regulator of pursuing “arbitrary” measures aimed at ending the operations of the Erbil-based company.
In a statement issued Sunday, Korek said it was seeking the prime minister’s intervention to “render justice” to the company over what it described as continued “injustice” by the CMC.
The company rejected the regulator’s decision to cancel a settlement agreement reached between the two sides last year, arguing that the head of the CMC’s executive body does not have the authority to revoke the agreement.
“The head of the Commission's executive body does not possess the authority to cancel the settlement, as that settlement was approved by higher authorities and was not the result of a decision by the Commission itself,” Korek said.
The statement came after the CMC announced that it was proceeding with legal and regulatory measures to halt Korek’s network operations, including shutting down the company’s network components, equipment and systems.
The regulator also urged Korek subscribers to “refrain from renewing subscriptions, topping up balances, or subscribing to any new services provided by the company, and to cease paying any sums or financial dues to it.”
The CMC said the measures followed the expiration of Korek’s operating contract and the cancellation of the settlement agreement due to the company’s alleged breach of contractual obligations and failure to meet its legal and financial commitments.
Korek said it was not surprised by the latest statement, accusing the CMC of taking “successive arbitrary measures motivated by the political movement to which the Commission's management belongs.”
The company said the implementation of the agreement was subsequently delayed because of what it called an administrative obstacle, despite months of correspondence between government bodies aimed at resolving the issue.
Korek alleged that the CMC ultimately refused to implement proposed solutions, leading to its June 2 decision to cancel the settlement.
The company described the move as part of an effort “to eliminate the only national company among the mobile phone operators.”
The CMC’s June decision formally canceled its settlement with Korek and ordered the suspension of the company’s operations, citing unpaid obligations and contractual violations. The regulator said it would take legal, regulatory and technical measures to protect state funds and recover debts owed by the company.
The dispute dates back several years. Korek subscribers have faced disruptions to parts of their telecommunications services since November 2023, when the CMC moved against the company over unpaid financial obligations. In February 2025, the regulator also cut off Korek’s internet services, citing continued violations and failure to comply with debt repayments.
Zahra al-Bajari, who was then head of the Iraqi parliament’s transport and communications committee, said in January 2025 that Korek owed the CMC around two trillion Iraqi dinars, equivalent to about $1.5 billion, in licensing fees and other outstanding debts.
Korek has disputed the regulator’s position and previously described the measures against it as politically motivated and “illegal.” Its CEO, Sirwan Barzani, previously told Rudaw the company remains willing to resolve the dispute in accordance with the law.
Korek also questioned the potential impact of the dispute on Iraq’s investment climate, asking: “Has the Commission considered that these unjustified, unprofessional, and biased measures will affect Iraq’s reputation among foreign investors?”
The latest escalation comes as Baghdad is also pursuing plans for a new national mobile operator. Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad said recently that the proposed fourth mobile license would be Iraqi-owned, with UK-based Vodafone serving as an operator rather than an owner.
Sanad said the proposed carrier would be a state-owned national company intended to compete with existing operators AsiaCell, Zain and Korek, arguing that Iraq lacks full sovereignty over its telecommunications sector.
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