Iran to Accept Crypto for Weapon Sales to Bypass Sanctions

Highlights:

• Mindex offers missiles, drones, rockets, and warships to clients in 35 different countries.
• Cryptocurrency and barter deals are officially accepted for Iran’s international arms transactions.
• The website provides detailed guidance on contracts, sanctions, and delivery for interested buyers.

Iran has quietly expanded how weapons reach foreign buyers. A state-backed arms export agency named the Ministry of Defence Export Center (Mindex) now accepts cryptocurrency, barter deals, and Iranian rials for military sales. Missiles, drones, naval ships, and defense systems sit inside a single online catalog.

Crypto Use in Arms Trade

The program began last year. Public access marks one of the first known cases where a government body openly allows digital coins for military trade. Officials present crypto as equal to cash or goods exchange when closing arms contracts. Mindex claims active clients across 35 countries. Listed equipment includes Emad ballistic missiles, Shahed drones, Shahid Soleimani-class warships, and air defense units. Cruise missiles, rockets, and small arms also appear, items already linked to Iran-backed groups.

Western governments and United Nations reports have already linked similar weapons to regional conflicts. Public sales through an online portal add new pressure on monitoring groups. Still, Iranian officials push ahead, presenting the system as normal trade rather than covert activity.

The Mindex website remains live and easy to access. Content appears in several languages. Hosting runs through an Iranian cloud provider already under United States Treasury sanctions. Washington has linked that provider to Iranian intelligence activity. The Financial Times reportedly verified the site’s authenticity using archived pages and server data. The platform includes a chatbot, a digital order portal, and a detailed question page. These features aim to ease buyer concerns tied to sanctions exposure.

One question on the site asks how contracts can work under sanctions and whether products will reach the buyer’s country. Mindex says Iran’s sanctions workarounds allow contracts to move forward. The company claims buyers will receive their products without issues and within a short time. 

The website does not show any prices. Interested buyers can request physical inspections inside Iran after getting approval from the security authorities. Buyers can also make payments inside their home countries under certain terms. Mindex says conditions apply to how buyers use the weapons, especially during conflicts with other countries. The company adds that both sides can negotiate these rules. This flexibility suggests payment access matters more than strict enforcement.

Sanctions Workarounds and Global Reach

The states that have faced sanctions are now increasing the utilization of digital assets too. Russia has previously faced sanctions related to similar behavior. Iran is now using the crypto for exports related to the military instead of the energy trade.

United States Treasury officials have warned many times about crypto use to avoid sanctions. Earlier actions targeted Russian firms that used digital coins. Iranian oil sales have already followed similar routes, shifting hundreds of millions outside traditional banking systems. In September, United States authorities sanctioned individuals linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards. Officials said a crypto-based shadow banking network helped move state funds while avoiding detection.

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