Among them are security conditions and a two-year grace period… Baghdad announces new details regarding the “Starlink” license.
Among them are security conditions and a two-year grace period… Baghdad announces new details regarding the “Starlink” license.
2026-08-22
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Iraqi Communications Minister Mustafa Jabbar Sand denied on Saturday that the ministry had signed a direct agreement with the American internet service provider Starlink, stressing that Earthlink continues to operate in the country.
This came during his participation in a panel discussion on the sidelines of the “Eighth Baghdad Dialogue” conference, organized by the Iraqi Institute for Dialogue.
During the session, Sand said that the Ministry of Communications is trying to capitalize on competition between companies to develop the communications sector in the country.
He continued, saying: We did not sign with Starlink as the Ministry of Communications directly, adding: Our current partner is Earthlink and other destinations, and after two years Starlink will become our partner.
For his part, the head of the Media and Communications Commission, Baligh Abu Kalal, said during his hosting at the same session that 40,000 illegal devices were present in Iraq before the signing with “Starlink”, stressing that 160 countries around the world use “Starlink” services.
He added, “We have put in place a list with a security annex, and ‘Starlink’ has become the first international company subject to Iraqi law,” stressing that “all the precise details that we need for security have been included in the list.”
This stance coincides with the announcement by the Iraqi Media and Communications Commission last July that it had officially signed a license for the “Starlink” company to operate in the country, during a ceremony held at the American Chamber of Commerce in the United States.
The Media and Communications Commission confirmed at the beginning of July that the procedures for licensing the “Starlink” service had reached their final stages, allowing the introduction of one of the most prominent modern satellite communication technologies to the Iraqi market, within a regulatory framework that preserves national interests and keeps pace with global developments.
shafaq.com
