Iran’s Energy Crisis Worsens Amid Illegal Crypto Mining Allegations
- Illegal crypto mining heavily impacts Iran’s electricity supply, causing shortages.
- National power company attributes 15-20% of power deficit to mining.
- Significant financial losses for industries and widespread public unrest.
Amid Iran’s escalating power shortages in 2025, residents and officials pinpoint unauthorized Bitcoin mining as a key factor, significantly straining the nation’s energy resources.
This energy crisis underscores systemic challenges in regulatory enforcement and highlights the socio-economic toll of illegal crypto operations on national infrastructure.
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Illegal crypto mining operations are heavily impacting Iran’s electricity supply in 2025, causing significant power shortages across the country.
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This crisis affects industries and daily life, leading to financial losses and public unrest as energy resources are diverted.
Illegal Mining Consumes 2,000 MW of Iran’s Electricity
The Iranian energy sector is under distress as illegal crypto mining operations ramp up. These activities are linked to severe power shortages as they consume significant electricity, worsening the national power deficit.
Reports indicate 2,000 MW of electricity is diverted to mining, equivalent to two nuclear reactors’ output. Government and public outrage are growing as unlicensed mining escalates power issues.
Industries Report Billions in Losses Amid Outages
Industries, especially steel manufacturing, report billions in losses due to energy shortages. Public sectors like hospitals face disruptions. Widespread protests erupt as blackouts become common.
“Iran’s steel sector has lost over 110 days of production this year, inflicting ‘billions of dollars’ in direct damages upon the economy” due to energy shortages attributed to diversion for crypto mining. – Rasul Khalifeh-Soltani, Steel Industry Executive
Financial sectors face instability as Bitcoin mining thrives at the expense of national infrastructure. Political tension increases over alleged government-linked mining operations, highlighting systemic issues.
Sanction Evasion Fuels Persistent Illegal Mining
Since 2019, illegal mining has persisted despite government crackdowns. Earlier efforts failed due to the lucrative nature and regulatory gaps, leading to repeated crises.
Experts predict further economic strain and political challenges as state corruption and sanctions-bypassing incentives fuel continued mining activity. Ongoing regulatory updates may influence future resolutions.
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