MTN Clarifies Stance on Irancell Stake Amid Media Scrutiny

MTN Group  has issued a ceremonial effect to caller media reports concerning its number involvement successful Iran, stating that respective of the claims are mendacious and misleading.

The Group clarified that since 2006, it has maintained a 49 percent non-controlling involvement successful Irancell. It emphasized that MTN does not exert operational power implicit the entity and has neither extracted dividends nor deployed superior into the concern since May 2018. That determination followed the re-imposition of United States sanctions connected Iran aft the U.S. withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“MTN ensures strict adherence to planetary sanctions regulations and upholds ineligible and ethical compliance crossed each its markets,” the institution said. Among the media outlets revisiting MTN’s Iran presumption is Polity.

MTN besides recalled its 2020 strategical determination to simplify its portfolio by exiting the Middle East successful an orderly fashion, reinforcing its committedness to absorption connected its pan-African vision. As of 31 March 2025, the Group served 297 cardinal customers crossed 16 African markets.

Reaffirming its firm values, MTN stated: “We are committed to respecting and protecting quality rights wrong our markets and broader sphere of influence. Our integer products and services play a captious relation successful advancing and protecting quality rights.”

The institution besides addressed ongoing litigation successful the United States related to the Anti-Terrorism Act, successful which it is simply a named defendant. “MTN has heavy sympathy for those affected by the conflicts successful Iraq and Afghanistan. However, we were not progressive successful those events and proceed to support the substance respectfully. No tribunal has recovered the Group blameworthy of immoderate wrongdoing,” MTN said, referencing its 2024 Annual Financial Statements.

MTN Group is presently chaired by Mcebisi Jonas. The institution besides clarified that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who chaired MTN Group implicit a decennary ago, resigned from that relation successful May 2013. MTN firmly rejected immoderate proposition that it influences South Africa’s overseas policy, stating, “Our concern decisions are wholly autarkic of authorities overseas argumentation positions.”