Shafaq News-Baghdad
Iraq does notpossess "national sovereignty" over its own telecommunicationssector, Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad declared Tuesday, pointing to acourt-ordered suspension as the primary obstacle blocking the country's plannedstate-owned 5G operator from entering the market.
Speaking to ShafaqNews, Sanad said his ministry's most significant current project is a transitcorridor that would route international internet traffic through Iraqiinfrastructure, positioning the country as a regional data gateway.
He added that anational 5G license is ready for activation through a state-owned companydesigned to compete directly with Iraq's three existing mobile carriers —Asiacell,Zain Iraq, and Korek— all of which are majority-owned by foreign Arab entities.
The state-affiliatedNational Mobile Telecommunications Company (NMTC) was formally establishedunder a cabinet resolution dated March 11, 2025, approved under then-PrimeMinister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani. The company was structured as a joint venturewith Vodafone and funded through contributions from the Communications Ministry,represented by Al-Salam General Company, the Iraqi Trade Bank, and the StateEmployees’ Pension Fund, with the stated objective of expanding the pensionfund and providing subsidized services to retirees. A founding contract wassigned on August 31, 2025.
Under a “PartnerMarket” framework, Vodafone was chosen as the technical and commercialcollaborator, responsible for brand use, systems, and training—but withoutequity in the Iraqi venture, according to government briefings. In August,following political criticism, the ministry reiterated that no investmentcontract with Vodafone existed and that procedures were still in progress.
The project hassince been halted. On October 13, 2025, former Communications Minister HiyamAl-Yassiri —who held the post before Sanad— announced that a court order hadsuspended the signing of the company's licensing agreement with theCommunications and Media Commission, following a complaint filed “by a lawmaker”.Sanad confirmed the order remains in effect and said his current mandate is toresolve the legal obstacle and restore the project.
: Judicial freeze: Iraq's new national 5G carrier on hold