Iranian telecom with IRGC links sought Irish network deals - Irish Times

An Iranian telecom firm with links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps asked Ireland's embassy in Tehran to help broker deals with Eir, Vodafone and Three, the Irish Times reported Monday.

“We kindly request the esteemed Embassy of Ireland to facilitate and support the establishment of international roaming agreements with active operators in Ireland,” the Mobile Company of Iran (MCI) wrote in a January 6 letter seen by the newspaper through a Freedom of Information Act request..

MCI, one of Iran's largest mobile operators, is majority-owned by a company believed to be controlled by the IRGC. The firm told the Irish embassy it already had roaming deals in place with 200 operators in 110 countries and wanted to expand its coverage to Ireland, citing “the friendly relations” between the two states.

The IRGC, designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, plays a key role in Iran’s economy and foreign policy, including its backing of groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.

According to the report, Ireland's ambassador to Tehran, Laoise Moore, did not respond to the request.

Vodafone, which had a prior agreement with MCI, cut ties last year citing concerns about sanctions compliance. A spokesperson for Eir said its roaming deals were vetted against publicly available sanctions lists, but the company declined to comment on MCI specifically.

Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that while the IRGC is under sanctions, MCI is not. Three Ireland did not comment on whether it had held any discussions with the Iranian company, according to the report.