Senator Warren Warns US Military Officials About Iranian Crypto Mining Supporting Terrorism

US Senators Raise Concerns About Iranian Crypto Mining Activities

US Senator Elizabeth Warren, known for her criticism of cryptocurrencies, has recently expressed concerns about Iranian crypto miners allegedly having ties to terrorist organizations like Hamas. In a joint letter with Sen. Angus King Jr., they highlighted the potential national security threats posed by Iran’s involvement in crypto mining.

Iran’s Crypto Mining Operations and Revenue Generation

• The letter emphasized Iran’s significant revenue generation through crypto mining activities, which have been legal in the country since 2019.
• Iran has reportedly raised millions of dollars over the past few years through crypto mining, enabling the country to finance imports, facilitate domestic and international fund transfers, and allegedly support terrorist groups like Hamas.
• Estimates suggest that Iranian Bitcoin mining alone could have generated up to $1 billion in revenue in 2021.

Concerns Over Money Laundering and Sanctions Evasion

In addition to revenue generation, the Senators highlighted Iran’s potential use of cryptocurrencies for money laundering purposes and evading international sanctions.

• They pointed out instances where Iran’s largest crypto exchange, Nobitex, provided guidelines to users on avoiding sanctions, with billions of dollars in Iranian crypto transactions reportedly flowing through platforms like Binance.
• There were also concerns raised about the Iranian military’s alleged ties to ransomware gangs and the use of crypto to fund terrorist groups like Hezbollah during conflicts.

The legislators emphasized that Iran’s use of cryptocurrencies to bypass sanctions poses a direct threat to national security, particularly in the context of potential funding for attacks against countries like Israel.