South African telecom giant MTN Group has said it is under investigation by the United States over its business activities in Iran and Afghanistan.
The company, Africa’s largest mobile operator, is cooperating with a US Department of Justice (DoJ) grand jury probe concerning its former subsidiary in Afghanistan and its 49 per cent stake in Iranian government-controlled carrier Irancell, MTN said in a statement.
“MTN is cooperating with the DoJ and voluntarily responding to requests for information,” the statement said. Grand juries typically determine whether to formally file charges and bring a case to trial.
MTN is also facing a US court case brought by veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as relatives of soldiers killed in action, alleging the company supported anti-American militias in the two countries through its participation in Irancell.
MTN denied wrongdoing and plans to file a motion to dismiss the claims.
The South African multinational is already involved in litigation at home, with Turkey’s Turkcell accusing MTN of winning the Iranian market through corruption when it was selected over Turkcell in 2006.
The announcement comes amid increasingly strained US-South Africa relations, with tensions over Pretoria’s ties with Russia, its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice over the Gaza war, and US tariffs of up to 30 per cent on most South African exports.
