IFP- An Iranian official says Iran is the major Internet service provider for neighbouring Iraq.

Managing Director of Iran�s Infrastructure Communications Company Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi says the country is the largest Internet service provider for Iraq and has a 70-percent share of its Internet market.

He went on to say that Iran has overtaken Turkey and Saudi Arabia in seizing the Iraq market.

�Iraq was connected to the World Wide Web through Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia, but Turkey was taken off the list of Iraq�s service providers due to geographical issues and activities by terrorist groups in Turkey,� he said.

With Turkey being removed from the list of Internet service providers for Iraq, the competition was left open for Iran and Saudi Arabia, he said, adding, �We managed to secure 70 percent of this market.�

However, he said, Turkey could get back onto the list of Iraq�s Internet service providers once security issues in Iraq are settled, tranquility makes a come back to the country, and terrorists are eliminated.

�Iran regards Turkey as a serious competitor in providing web services for Iraq, so it is necessary for Iran to improve its Internet services,� he said.