Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq’s Ministry of Communications rejected reports alleging irregular contracts with US-sanctioned Al-Muhandis Company on Thursday.

In a statement, the ministry said that the firm is government-owned under the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and legally eligible to participate in public tenders.

It added that the contract “was awarded in line with government procurement regulations,” clarifying that telecommunications network management remains the exclusive responsibility of ministry employees.

The ministry criticized what it described as “targeted campaigns against its projects,” suggesting they stem from parties affected by ongoing reforms. It urged the public to verify information through official sources and called on media outlets to ensure accuracy, particularly during election periods.

Founded in November 2022, the company was created under the framework of the PMF as a construction and engineering enterprise and has been described in research as the “PMF’s economic arm.” According to the US Department of the Treasury, Al-Muhandis is controlled by the Kataib Hezbollah, sanctioned for allegedly using Iraqi government contracts to divert funds and facilitate “weapons smuggling linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force (IRGC QF).”

The sanctions also targeted two Iraqi businessmen connected to the company. The firm has been involved in government contracts, including work on Iraq’s fiber-optic network and infrastructure projects, which has drawn attention due to the sensitive nature of the systems involved.

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