E-Commerce slams anti-crypto bans as blow to global digital community
Tehran E-Commerce Association said US sanctions on Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges run counter to the “spirit of the international crypto community,” according to a statement reported by state media.
The association said millions of Iranian citizens use domestic crypto exchanges, which in recent years have sought to provide users with access to global digital economy tools and the borderless nature of cryptocurrencies. It added that the development of modern financial technologies is a key pillar of the country's digital economy and an important driver of growth, job creation and talent retention, state news agency ISNA reported.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on Tuesday added Iran’s four largest cryptocurrency exchanges — Nobitex, Wallex, Bitpin and Ramzinex — to its sanctions list under a new round of measures against Tehran. The sanctions also target several Nobitex executives.
OFAC said the platforms were used to help the Iranian government and sanctioned entities bypass Western sanctions.
The statement said the sanctions imposed by the US Department of the Treasury on the four crypto exchanges contradict the foundational principles of blockchain technology and the right of ordinary Iranian users to access new financial tools. It said decentralized technologies are based on free and universal access, and described the move as contrary to the spirit of the global crypto community.
It added that the domestic blockchain and crypto sector has, despite structural constraints and restrictive regulatory approaches, provided a secure platform for daily financial transactions for millions of Iranians. It said cryptocurrencies are now widely used to preserve asset value and facilitate daily life, adding that linking the sector to geopolitical tensions unfairly undermines the rights of Iranian users.
The association also said such developments underscore the need for a fundamental shift in domestic regulatory attitudes toward innovative industries, urging policymakers to support rather than hinder the sector amid increasing external pressure on innovation-driven industries.
It said it condemns the US Treasury action against private-sector platforms and the restriction of Iranian citizens’ rights, adding that it would pursue legal steps through domestic and international channels to lift the sanctions.
The Information and Communications Technology Guild Organization (Nasr) and the four sanctioned exchanges have said the measures would not affect user assets or disrupt services, adding that the sanctions had been anticipated and safeguards were already in place.