Iran
Googoosh: Daughter of the Revolution
On a Tuesday afternoon, during the lunchtime rush at Los Angeles’ über-trendy Highly Likely Café, the strains of Iranian singer Googoosh’s song “Talagh” come through the speakers. The song, whose title means “divorce,” is sung in Farsi. It slips in between modern-day songs that would be found on NPR’s New Music Friday playlist and the city’s tastemaker station KCRW’s hand-picked selections. Its saucy rhythms and hard-hitting dance beats fit in seamlessly. Googoosh’s singularly rich voice surges over the café’s patrons. “Talagh” doesn’t stand out to this lunch crowd, partially because it blends so well into the playlist. I glance around to see if there’s any reaction to the song, and then I interrupt my lunch companion to bring her attention to its infectious grooves. The reason...
Iranian businesses get the green light to use crypto for imports
Iran’s Industry, Mines and Trade ministry has approved the use of cryptocurrency for imports into the country amid ongoing international trade sanctions. According to local news reports, trade minister Reza Fatemi Amin confirmed that detailed regulations have been approved outlining the use of cryptocurrencies for trade and supplying fuel and electricity to Bitcoin (BTC) and crypto miners in the country. Amin outlined the regulatory change at an automotive industry exhibition on Aug. 28, just a week after the country had placed a first-ever import order for vehicles, to the tune of $10 million, using cryptocurrency as a payment method. The Iranian trade ministry had previously indicated that the use of cryptocurrencies and smart contracts would be widely used in foreign trade by September ...
Iran makes $10M import with crypto, plans ‘widespread’ use by end of Sept
Struggling through decades of economic sanctions, Iran has placed its first international import order using $10 million worth of cryptocurrency, according to a senior government trade official. News that the Islamic republic placed its first import order using crypto was shared by Iran’s Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine & Trade Alireza Peyman-Pak in a Twitter post on Aug. 9. While the official did not disclose any details about the cryptocurrency used or the imported goods involved, Peyman-Pak said that the $10 million order represents the first of many international trades to be settled with crypto, with plans to ramp this up over the next month, noting: “By the end of September, the use of cryptocurrencies and smart contracts will be widely used in foreign trade with ta...
Illegal crypto miners in Iran to face stricter penalties
The government has warned illegal miners of heavier penalties to come Illicit mining of crypto affects the power availability for household and industrial use Iran is cracking the whip harder as it contends with the fact that unauthorised mining is setting a strain on the country’s energy supply. The government is set to impose legislation containing heavier punishment for those caught mining crypto assets illegally. Hitting the dodgy miners hard According to a report published by the Tehran Times on Saturday, the move is meant to avoid blackouts and punish those using subsidised electricity for illegal crypto mining operations. Fines could rise threefold, and jail time increased by up to five times. An official with the country’s Power Generation, Distribution, and Tr...
Iran to stiffen penalties for illegal use of subsidized energy in crypto mining
The Iranian government will increase penalties for the use of subsidized energy in crypto mining. The move marks another step in the tightening of mining regulation in the country that had faced energy shortages in recent years. On April 16, the Tehran Times reported, citing the country’s Power Generation, Distribution, and Transmission company, that the government plans to drastically increase the fines rates for the mining operators who use subsidized electricity. The company’s representative Mohammad Khodadadi Bohlouli specified: “Any use of subsidized electricity, intended for households, industrial, agricultural and commercial subscribers, for mining cryptocurrency is prohibited.” According to Bohlouli, the fines for the use of subsidized energy in mining will rise by...
World Cup 2022 Draw: England Get USA in Group Stages
The World Cup draw has been made, and England fans will feel confident after they avoided any big names. However, there is the real possibility of the English having to take on neighbours Wales or Scotland, depending how the one remaining European qualifying place goes. Elsewhere, there were some juicy draws, none bigger than European giants Spain and Germany being pitted together in the same group. Favourites Brazil and France will be confident, although the Portuguese have been drawn in a potentially tricky group. England avoid big guns The draw really couldn’t have been much kinder to England. Drawn in Group B, they first drew USA from the second batch of teams. Iran were then drawn, setting up a politically tense match with the US. It was the final team drawn in the group that provided...
CEXs refuse blanket asset freeze of all Russian users, though questions linger
Centralized exchanges (CEX) and CEOs from companies such as Binance, Coinbase and Kraken have all stated they would only freeze the assets of Russian clients specifically targeted by Western sanctions — not that of everyday Russian users. A few days prior, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s minister of digital transformation, had called for “all major crypto exchanges to block [wallet] addresses of Russians” and “also to sabotage ordinary users [by freezing their assets].” In explaining why he was not preemptively banning all Russians (though, Coinbase is not available in Russia), Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase, specifically wrote: “We believe everyone deserves access to basic financial services unless the law says otherwise. Some ordinary Russians are using crypto as a lifeline...
Digital Denarius: How a crypto revolution could have saved the Roman Empire
Two currency crises two thousand years apart. Modern-day Venezuela and the Roman Empire have more in common than you might think. Both know too well the dangers of soaring inflation and a collapse in investor confidence. But, only one has crypto on its side. Venezuela’s official currency, the bolívar, has suffered from hyperinflation for half a decade due to repeated currency devaluations, minimum wage rises and significant public spending increases. For a sustained period of several centuries, the Roman Empire enjoyed the enormous trade and commercial benefits associated with the world’s first fiat currency, as explored in my book Pugnare: Economic success and failure. The Roman currency was comprised of three coins: gold (Aureus), silver (Denarius) and copper or brass coins (Sestertius a...
Iran halts authorized crypto mining to save energy for winter
Amid Iran’s energy consumption increasing during the winter, local energy authorities have decided to halt operations of authorized cryptocurrency mining centers. Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi, chairman of the board and managing director of Iran Grid Management Company (Tavanir), announced that Iran is shutting down crypto mining centers again to reduce liquid fuel consumption in power plants amid decreasing temperatures. Mashhadi said that Iranian authorities took this action to reduce energy consumption last month, The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported on Saturday. “The Energy Ministry has been implementing measures since last month to reduce the use of liquid fuels in power plants, including cutting licensed crypto farms’ power supply, turning off lampposts in less risky are...
Lithuania begins building barrier on border with Belarus to block migrants
Lithuania began building a barrier along its border with Belarus on Friday after accusing Belarusian authorities of flying in migrants from abroad to send illegally into the European Union. The first stretch of barrier will run 500 metres (1,640 feet) in length, measure 1.8 metres (six feet) in height and consist of concertina and razor wire, the army defence chief’s spokeswoman Ruta Montvile told Reuters. Belarus in May decided to allow migrants to enter EU member Lithuania in retaliation for sanctions imposed by the bloc after Minsk forced a Ryanair flight to land on its soil and arrested a dissident blogger who was on board. “If someone thinks we will close our border with Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Ukraine and will become a holding site for those running from Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq...
Euro 2020: Cristiano Ronaldo ‘proud’ of Portugal’s efforts after elimination
Captain Cristiano Ronaldo said on Monday he was “proud” of holders Portugal’s efforts despite bowing out of Euro 2020 after the weekend’s 1-0 last 16 loss to Belgium. “We did not get the result we wanted and we leave the competition sooner than expected,” the 36-year-old Juventus star and five-time Ballon d’or winner admitted as his side failed to match their 2016 exploits. “But we are proud of our showing. We did everything we could to retain the title of European champions and this group proved it could still give the Portuguese people much joy,” the former Manchester United and Real Madrid attacker posted on social media after Sunday’s loss. “Congratulations to Belgium and good luck to all the teams left in. As for us, we shall return stronger,” vowed the veteran who at least could cons...
U.S. blocks websites linked to Iranian disinformation
The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday blocked some three dozen websites, many of them associated with Iranian disinformation activities, a U.S. government source said, adding an official announcement was expected. The source in Washington spoke after notices appeared earlier on Tuesday on a number of Iran-affiliated websites saying they had been seized by the United States government as part of law enforcement action. Iranian news agencies said that the U.S. government had seized several Iranian media websites and sites belonging to groups affiliated with Iran such as Yemen’s Houthi movement. Some sites later started to display as normal. The website of the Arabic-language Masirah TV, which is run by the Houthis, read: “The domain almasirah.net has been seized by the United States Governm...
