Military insider replaces MTN Irancell CEO after shutdown delay
On today's edition of Techpoint Digest, we discuss MTN's involvement in the Iran crisis, how a Nokia 3310 started a tech legacy, and Meta's lawsuit over WhatsApp encryption.
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مرحبا<br />
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Victoria from Techpoint here,<br />
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Here’s what I’ve got for you today:<br />
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MTN dragged deeper into Iran crisis<br />
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How a Nokia 3310 started a tech legacy<br />
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Meta sued over WhatsApp encryption<br />
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MTN dragged deeper into Iran crisis<br />
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MTN<br />
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Remember this? MTN under fire as Iran unrest escalates<br />
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Well, it appears that MTN’s Iran troubles have deepened. MTN Group has found itself uncomfortably close to Iran’s latest crackdown on protests after authorities there shut down mobile and Internet services and quietly removed the boss of MTN Irancell, the company’s Iranian unit. The move happened without prior notice to MTN’s South African headquarters, drawing the African telecoms giant into an already tense political situation.<br />
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Iranian officials replaced Irancell CEO Alireza Rafiei earlier this month, accusing him of dragging his feet on an order to block communications as protests spread nationwide. According to sources, Rafiei took about two hours to shut down voice calls after receiving the directive on January 8, a delay that reportedly angered state-backed shareholders with close links to Iran’s security agencies.<br />
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He was replaced by Mohammad Hossein Soleimanian, a former military officer, a decision MTN says it was not consulted on despite owning 49% of the business. MTN has since written to the Irancell board to formally challenge the move, although it has not spoken directly with Rafiei since his removal.<br />
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The communications blackout has made it harder to get information out of Iran during some of the biggest protests since the 1979 revolution. Demonstrations have been driven by rising prices, economic pressure and allegations of corruption, with a UN expert warning that thousands of civilians may have been killed. The Internet shutdown, now stretching into its third week, has affected more than 90 million people.<br />
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For MTN, the episode highlights the long-running headache that is its Iran investment. While the group posted strong growth elsewhere, especially in Nigeria and G...
