Overview
- Mindex, the Defense Ministry’s export arm, is accepting cryptocurrencies alongside rials and barter for contracts covering missiles, tanks, drones and warships.
- The public catalog lists no prices and operates as a multilingual, marketplace-style portal with a virtual assistant to guide prospective buyers.
- CoinDesk reports this as one of the first public cases of a nation accepting crypto for military equipment following a renewed phase of UN sanctions on Iran in 2025.
- The exporter claims relationships with roughly 30 to 35 client countries, though the reports do not identify specific buyers or deals.
- U.S. authorities have previously alleged Iran used crypto-linked networks to move funds tied to oil sales and military activity, and Chainalysis estimated sanctioned states received nearly $16 billion in digital assets in 2024.