MTN Group Ltd., Africa’s largest wireless operator, asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri AS over a mobile-phone service deal in Iran, saying the core of the case has “no conceivable” connection to the U.S.
MTN, in a filing today in Washington, said Turkcell is improperly trying to use the Alien Tort Statute to bring a commercial dispute between a Turkish company and a South African company before a U.S. court. The 1789 law, usually cited in human rights and torture cases, gives U.S. courts jurisdiction in some instances to consider claims by foreigners for illegal conduct that occurred in another country.
