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The United States announced sanctions connected Iran’s biggest cryptocurrency speech connected Tuesday (June 2, 2026), accusing it of enabling the Iranian authorities and blacklisted State institutions to circumvent Western sanctions.
The caller sanctions travel a Reuters probe published connected May 1, which showed however Nobitex had go a cardinal node successful a parallel fiscal system utilized to process hundreds of millions of dollars for Iran’s central bank and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The study besides revealed however Nobitex continued operating adjacent aft the government-imposed net shutdown, processing millions of dollars of transactions. “While Iran’s system is successful escaped fall, the authorities has chosen to co-opt integer asset technologies for its own corrupt agenda, including evading sanctions and transferring wealthiness retired of the country,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said successful a statement.
The Reuters probe showed however Nobitex is controlled by 2 brothers from 1 of Iran’s most almighty families, with adjacent ties to the caller ultimate leader. The 2 are members of the Kharrazi family, 1 of the astir influential dynasties successful the Islamic Republic. Corporate records amusement that erstwhile the speech started, the brothers were listed nether a surname seldom utilized by members of the family.
The U.S. Treasury announced on Tuesday (June 2) that the 2 brothers, Seyed Mohammad Ali Aghamir Mohammad Ali and Seyed Mohammad Aghamir Mohammad Ali, had besides been individually sanctioned, on with the exchange’s main enforcement officer, Amir Hossein Rad.
Nobitex had provided “significant support” to the Iranian authorities and facilitated a “significant number” of integer transactions linked to the IRGC and Iran’s cardinal bank, the U.S. Treasury said successful the statement.
“Following the commencement of U.S. combat operations successful Iran, Nobitex played a relation successful protecting and moving assets and funds retired of Iran to shield authorities wealthiness contempt net blackouts.”
Nobitex could not beryllium reached for comment connected the sanctions, which were announced aft mean concern hours successful Iran.
In an emailed connection to Reuters successful April, Nobitex said it had nary nonstop authorities connections and denied assisting the state. It said that immoderate illicit funds moving done Nobitex did truthful without absorption support oregon awareness. The institution besides said that the 2 brothers had ne'er utilized an alternate individuality oregon changed their identity.
