TEHRAN, Sketsa.id – In a significant move reflecting the pressures of international sanctions, Iran’s state-run defense export center has signaled its readiness to negotiate arms contracts with payments made in digital currencies. This development, reported by the Financial Times, offers a window into how nations under extensive economic restrictions are adapting their financial strategies.
The center, known as Mindex, is actively promoting payment options that include digital currencies, barter arrangements, or Iran’s national rial, according to promotional documents and payment term analyses seen by the Financial Times. This marks one of the first known instances of a country openly indicating a willingness to accept cryptocurrency for arms exports.
The move comes against a backdrop of heightened sanctions pressure. In August 2025, Britain, France, and Germany triggered a UN mechanism to reimpose international sanctions on Iran after diplomatic efforts to revive nuclear deal negotiations with the United States failed. Iran now faces broad sanctions targeting its nuclear and missile programs, oil sector, and access to the international banking system.
Adapting to a Sanctioned Environment
Mindex, which states it has clients in 35 countries, markets a wide range of military equipment on its multilingual website. Its catalog includes ballistic missiles, drones, warships, short-range air defense systems, small arms, rockets, and anti-ship cruise missiles. The center operates an online portal and a virtual chatbot to guide potential customers through the purchasing process, asserting on its website that there is “no problem” in fulfilling contracts despite the sanctions.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Iran ranked 18th globally for major arms exports in 2024. The shift towards alternative payment methods appears to be a direct strategy to circumvent financial restrictions and maintain its defense trade.
This is not the first time Iran’s use of digital assets has drawn international attention. US authorities have previously accused Iran of utilizing cryptocurrencies to facilitate oil sales and move funds outside the formal banking system. In September 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned individuals for allegedly operating a “shadow banking” network that used crypto to process payments on Iran’s behalf.
The offer from Mindex underscores the evolving challenges in enforcing global sanctions regimes as targeted states turn to decentralized and emerging financial technologies to sustain international trade.(cc)
