Iran is officially recognizing cryptocurrency mining as an industry within its borders.

According to the Iranย Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, a government economic commission approved crypto mining on Sunday, with the government now looking for ways to regulate this activity within its existing legal structure.

โ€œA mechanism to mine digital coins were approved by the governmentโ€™s economic commission and will later be put to a discussion at a cabinet meeting,โ€ Central Bank of Iran governor Abdolnaser Hemmati said in a statement.

Similarly, deputy minister energy for electricity and energy Homayun Haeri said government ministers will vote on a measure to approve an electricity rate for mining farms.

The Iranian government has been vacillating on whether to approve of mining as an industry or not. Last month, two mining farms wereย seized and shut down by authorities.

Haeri has also been quoted in the past as saying that the governmentย should not subsidizeย crypto mining efforts

However, the region hasย long been attractive to minersย due to cheap electricity rates available.

Crypto usage

While crypto mining appears to have been given a tentative green light in Iran, it is unclear whether officials are changing their stance on using cryptocurrencies for domestic payments, and if so, how.

The central bank recommended barringย crypto usage for domestic paymentsย at the end of January, though local industry stakeholders are pushing back against such a ban.

Two Iranian nationals remain the only individuals to be placed onto the U.S. State Department Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC)โ€™s sanctions list for bitcoin activities specifically.

Last year, OFAC sanctioned Ali Khorashadizadeh and Mohammad Ghorbaniyan for their alleged roles inย facilitating paymentsย for the SamSam ransomware.

Whileย Ghorbaniyan admits to facilitating these payments, he claimsย he was not awareย of the fundsโ€™ origins.

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