New Internet Identifier 'krd.' for Iraqi Kurdistan

The Kurds have chosen a new name for their internet domain; this move has faced criticism. According to Reuters, 'krd.' is a new top-level internet domain identifier for the Kurds, creating a separate space in the virtual internet. Private companies, organizations, and individuals can use this new internet domain. ICANN, the non-profit organization based in the U.S. that assigns names and numbers, accepted the allocation of the name 'krd.' for the internet domain of the Kurds in Iraq in 2013. This is a generic name and differs from the official names assigned for country internet identifiers, which consist of only two letters. The Kurdistan Regional Government and the presidency of the region have begun using this identifier on their websites in Kurdish, Arabic, and English. According to Reuters, the Iranian government has officially protested to ICANN, stating that this action 'could lead to severe political tensions and conflicts.' Before the registration of the 'krd.' identifier, very few companies and organizations in the Kurdistan region used Iraq's internet identifier. Although the Kurds have now obtained their special internet domain identifier, they still do not meet the necessary conditions to receive a two-letter identifier, which is reserved for United Nations member countries.