Fast food chain KFC denies reports that it has opened a restaurant in Iran, says it will take legal action to protect its name, trademark

Nevin Barich

LOS ANGELES , February 27, 2012 (Industry Intelligence) – In response to a query by the Persian Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation, fast-food chain KFC has released a statement denying reports that it has opened a restaurant in Iran, Radio Free Europe Liberty Inc. reported Feb. 27.

KFC said that it would take legal action to protect its name and trademark.

Last week, the Fars news agency, which later removed the story, said that KFC had opened its first branch in Iran since the chain closed operations in Iran following the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Amir Hossein Alizadeh, the CEO of the purported Iranian KFC, said that he had received permission from KFC Corp., but stressed that his company was entirely Iranian.

He added that the goal of Iranian KFC was to create 20,000 jobs.

The primary source of this article is Radio Free Europe Liberty Inc., Washington D.C., on Feb. 27, 2012.

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