Iran plans to accept cryptocurrency as a payment method for arms transactions in order to circumvent sanctions.

[Iran Considers Accepting Cryptocurrency as Payment for Arms Deals to Circumvent Sanctions] According to a report by the Financial Times on January 2nd, as reported by Mars Finance, Iran is considering accepting cryptocurrency payments in its advanced arms exports, including ballistic missiles and warships, to circumvent Western sanctions. The Iranian Ministry of Defense's Export Center (Mindex) stated its willingness to negotiate various payment methods, including digital currencies, barter, and the Iranian rial. This policy, first proposed in 2025, is considered one of the first known national-level cases to publicly accept cryptocurrency as a payment method for arms exports. Mindex, a state-owned military trade organization, claims to maintain client relationships with 35 countries, and its website showcases products including missiles, rockets, ammunition, and hovercraft. Against the backdrop of the US, UK, and EU continuously strengthening sanctions against Iran's nuclear and missile programs, energy exports, and access to the international financial system, Iran is increasingly relying on crypto assets and barter trade. Last year, the US Treasury Department disclosed that two Iranian citizens assisted in handling over $100 million in crypto assets, including Bitcoin, for Iranian oil sales between 2023 and 2025, and were considered part of its "shadow financial network." Mindex stated on its website that, given Iran's overall policy of circumventing sanctions, "there are no issues with contract execution," and pledged to deliver the relevant products as soon as possible.