The registry operator for Iraq’s .iq domain (CMC) has terminated the accreditations of at least half its registrars, leaving companies at risk of losing their domains.
CMC currently lists 8 accredited registrars, compared with 16 listed in January 2023. We were able to identify two prominent, international domain name registrars that previously offered .iq domains, but which currently list .iq as an unsupported extension.
According to Sufyan Alani of the active registrar Alsco, the terminations have their root in a 2023 government policy mandating the registration of an .iq domain whenever a new company was created. The large influx of registrations exposed deficiencies in the domain management practices of the terminated registrars, as well as significant debts to CMC from unpaid services.
Whois records for domains previously managed by suspended entities now list the registrar as “CMC Registrar,” but the domains have not been suspended and continue to resolve. Transfer from CMC Registrar to a provider with an active accreditation is possible.
If your organization or a client have received notice from another registrar that they can no longer renew or modify .iq domains previously under management, IP Twins can assist in recovering regular access to these names. Just write to juristes@iptwins.com for more information.
