Iran is looking to accept crypto payments for ballistic missiles, warships, and other advanced weapons as a means of evading international sanctions that the country faces.
Iran Defence To Sell Military Weapons For Crypto
Mindex, the Ministry of Defence Export Center, reportedly said it’s prepared to negotiate military contracts, using digital currencies amongst other accepted payment options, including Iranian rials or bartering, according to the Financial Times.
Mindex is responsible for Iran’s overseas defense sales and reportedly holds client relationships with 35 countries. Its official website showcases various products, including missiles, rockets, ammunition, and hovercrafts, though no prices are displayed.
The move, first teased in 2025, represents one of the first known instances where a nation publicly indicated willingness to accept crypto as payment for military equipment.
The U.S., the U.K, and the European Union have imposed sweeping economic and military sanctions on Iran, targeting its nuclear missile programs and oil sector — losing significant access to international financial networks and the US dollar. The sanctions have forced the country to depend on barter trade and, increasingly, Bitcoin.
The U.S. Treasury Department in September imposed sanctions on two Iranian nationals for facilitating over $100 million in Bitcoin and other digital asset buys to process the Iranian government’s oil sales between 2023 and 2025 and funneling money from illicit oil sales to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) and Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL). U.S. authorities consider such occurrences as part of Iran’s much bigger financial “shadow network.”
Source: https://zycrypto.com/iran-accepts-crypto-as-payment-for-weapons-to-bypass-international-sanctions/
