{"id":332029,"date":"2025-05-26T21:26:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T20:26:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/?p=332029"},"modified":"2025-05-26T22:39:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T21:39:14","slug":"bitcoin-mining-in-iran-irgc-operations-and-the-power-grid-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/publications\/special-reports\/bitcoin-mining-in-iran-irgc-operations-and-the-power-grid-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Bitcoin Mining in Iran, IRGC Operations and the Power Grid Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_332030\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-332030\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-332030 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Most-Bitcoin-miners-in-Iran-belong-to-the-IRGC-and-use-electricity-for-free-e1748295388431.jpg\" alt=\"Most Bitcoin miners in Iran belong to the IRGC and use electricity for free\" width=\"1000\" height=\"567\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Most-Bitcoin-miners-in-Iran-belong-to-the-IRGC-and-use-electricity-for-free-e1748295388431.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Most-Bitcoin-miners-in-Iran-belong-to-the-IRGC-and-use-electricity-for-free-e1748295388431-300x170.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Most-Bitcoin-miners-in-Iran-belong-to-the-IRGC-and-use-electricity-for-free-e1748295388431-768x435.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Most-Bitcoin-miners-in-Iran-belong-to-the-IRGC-and-use-electricity-for-free-e1748295388431-741x420.jpg 741w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Most-Bitcoin-miners-in-Iran-belong-to-the-IRGC-and-use-electricity-for-free-e1748295388431-150x85.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Most-Bitcoin-miners-in-Iran-belong-to-the-IRGC-and-use-electricity-for-free-e1748295388431-696x395.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-332030\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Most Bitcoin miners in Iran belong to the IRGC and use electricity for free<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong><em>Eleven-minute read<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iran\u2019s state-linked Bitcoin mining farms consist of rows of specialized computer servers (ASIC miners) that guzzle electricity on an industrial scale. In recent years, Iran has experienced debilitating power outages across cities and provinces, leaving homes dark and factories idle for hours or days at a time. Investigations increasingly point to a hidden culprit exacerbating the crisis: large cryptocurrency mining operations run or protected by Iranian state actors, especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These clandestine or semi-official Bitcoin farms draw colossal amounts of power \u2013 often at heavily subsidized rates or with no payment at all \u2013 effectively diverting energy from the national grid for private gain.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Emergence of Bitcoin Mining in Iran and Link to the State<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iran\u2019s foray into cryptocurrency mining began in the late 2010s as the country sought creative ways to overcome economic isolation. In the wake of renewed U.S. sanctions in 2018, the government turned to crypto as a tool to bypass banking restrictions and generate revenue. By 2019, the clerical regime <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meforum.org\/mef-observer\/how-irans-cryptocurrency-gamble-empowers-the-revolutionary-guards-and-drains-the-state\">officially recognized<\/a> crypto mining as an industry and introduced a licensing regime for miners, offering cheap electricity to attract investment on the condition that all mined Bitcoin be sold to Iran\u2019s central bank. The prospect of subsidized power drew interest from domestic players and foreign partners \u2013 notably Chinese investors who set up large Bitcoin farms in Iran\u2019s free trade zones and remote warehouses.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a>&#39;s Industrial Sector Gutted by Regime&#39;s Crippling Energy Crisis<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tsVnjXEkfF\">https:\/\/t.co\/tsVnjXEkfF<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1925271288819396963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 21, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iran\u2019s energy officials soon noticed the impact. In mid-2019, authorities blamed an \u201cunusual\u201d 7% spike in national electricity usage on a proliferation of unregistered crypto mines. Scattered reports emerged of mining rigs being discovered in surprising locations \u2013 from abandoned factories to government offices and even mosques that benefit from free or ultra-cheap electricity. Thousands of illicit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/technology\/iran-bans-cryptocurrency-mining-4-months-amid-power-cuts-2021-05-26\/\">machines were confiscated<\/a> as officials realized that many miners were operating in the shadows to exploit electricity priced at just a fraction of market rates. By 2020, the regime had issued licenses for around 1,000 crypto mining farms, but the majority of activity remained underground. Former president Hassan Rouhani admitted in 2021 that about 85% of mining in Iran was unlicensed \u2013 a vast gray economy consuming power without oversight or payment.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Behind this boom was Tehran\u2019s need to monetize its abundant energy resources in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elliptic.co\/blog\/how-iran-uses-bitcoin-mining-to-evade-sanctions\">face of sanctions<\/a>. Bitcoin mining essentially converts energy into cryptocurrency value. With oil exports constrained, the regime effectively \u201cexports\u201d energy by using its surplus oil and natural gas to generate electricity for mining, then selling the earned bitcoins abroad for hard currency or imports. An estimated 4.5% of all Bitcoin mining took place in Iran as of 2021, yielding Iran \u201chundreds of millions of dollars\u201d in crypto that could help offset the sanctions-hit economy.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Facts and stats on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/energy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#energy<\/a> crisis in <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vSTBtLvV3R\">https:\/\/t.co\/vSTBtLvV3R<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1695540368819749277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 26, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">IRGC\u2019s Entry: State-Affiliated Mining Operations<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">By 2019\u20132020, reports indicate that Tehran\u2019s most influential power brokers \u2013 the IRGC and entities under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei \u2013 had moved <a href=\"https:\/\/cryptorank.io\/news\/feed\/40e78-crypto-cartel-plunges-iran-into-darkness\">aggressively into crypto mining<\/a>. Under Khamenei\u2019s directive, the IRGC partnered with Chinese companies to establish massive mining farms as a way to earn Bitcoin and compensate for Iran\u2019s loss of access to dollars. One high-profile example was a 175-megawatt <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aa.com.tr\/en\/asia-pacific\/iranian-chinese-bitcoin-farm-shut-amid-power-outages\/2109804\">Bitcoin farm in Rafsanjan<\/a> in Kerman province, ostensibly a joint venture between an IRGC-linked enterprise and Chinese investors, attracted by Iran\u2019s rock-bottom electricity tariffs.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Such facilities, often located in special economic zones or on IRGC-controlled bases, benefit from dedicated power feeds and minimal scrutiny. IRGC-linked organizations \u2013 including large religious foundations like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/publications\/special-reports\/the-role-of-astan-e-quds-razavi-a-key-religious-foundation-in-iranian-regime-s-terrorism-extremist-policies-and-recruitment-of-western-spies\/\">Astan Quds Razavi<\/a> \u2013 formed a veritable <em>\u201ccrypto cartel\u201d<\/em> that plunders national electricity for profit, according to investigative reports. These state-affiliated miners enjoy effectively free energy (or ignore bills entirely), operating with impunity thanks to political connections and armed protection.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a> News: Regime Scrambles to Justify Nationwide Shutdown Amid <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Energy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Energy<\/a> Crisis<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/USIRpmbKE0\">https:\/\/t.co\/USIRpmbKE0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1887979488660570427?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 7, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Multiple sources highlight the extraordinary privileges granted to the regime\u2019s military and security institutions in the mining sector. In 2022, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.meforum.org\/mef-observer\/how-irans-cryptocurrency-gamble-empowers-the-revolutionary-guards-and-drains-the-state\">parliament quietly passed<\/a> legislation allowing military bodies to establish their own private power plants and electricity lines. This gave the IRGC direct access to subsidized (and even previously public) electricity resources \u2013 infrastructure ostensibly meant for cities and industries \u2013 which could now be redirected to secretive crypto farms.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Enforcement agencies have found it nearly impossible to rein in these operations. In one 2021 incident, the Ministry of Energy attempted to shut down an illegal mining center, only for armed IRGC units to physically block the raid and prevent any interruption. The Ministry of Intelligence declined to intervene against the IRGC, illustrating the impunity of the Guards\u2019 mining ventures. While authorities publicly crack down on small-scale \u201cillegal\u201d miners, the largest mining centers \u2013 run by or for regime insiders \u2013 often remain untouched.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a> News: Widespread Closures in Iran Amid <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Energy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Energy<\/a> Crisis Reflect Regime\u2019s Incompetence and Priorities<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7iG1Gn5AiI\">https:\/\/t.co\/7iG1Gn5AiI<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1878061296475938853?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 11, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Scale of IRGC involvement<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Estimates suggest that well over half of all mining hardware in Iran is operated by state-related entities. According to investigative reporting, roughly 180,000 crypto mining devices were in use in Iran as of 2023, of which <em>about 100,000 belong to the state or firms affiliated with the state (e.g. the IRGC)<\/em>. In other words, the IRGC and its partners control a majority share of Iran\u2019s crypto mining capacity under the cover of a \u201clegitimate\u201d industry. These actors prioritize mining \u2013 and the hard currency it yields \u2013 over the needs of the public.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Notably, even as the energy crisis worsened, IRGC-affiliated media have sought to deflect blame by highlighting IRGC <a href=\"https:\/\/en.mehrnews.com\/news\/232137\/Iran-seizes-over-quarter-of-a-million-cryptomining-machines\">\u201ccrackdowns\u201d on unauthorized<\/a> miners \u2013 a public relations move given that the IRGC itself is not tasked with power enforcement, and its own mines are a core part of the problem.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Electricity Consumption of Iran\u2019s Bitcoin Mines<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The energy footprint of Iran\u2019s crypto mining operations \u2013 particularly those tied to the state \u2013 is enormous. Precise figures are hard to pin down due to the secretive nature of many facilities, but both official and independent assessments agree that miners have become a significant drain on Iran\u2019s power supply:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a>&#39;s <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/energy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#energy<\/a> crisis explained through numbers and facts: Learn about the causes, effects, and malign actors.<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vSTBtLvV3R\">https:\/\/t.co\/vSTBtLvV3R<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1693276955079033252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 20, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Several Gigawatts of Load<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The regime\u2019s Ministry of Energy has suggested that at peak times crypto mining may be consuming up <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irna.ir\/news\/85761769\">to 2,000 megawatts<\/a> (2 GW) of electricity \u2013 roughly equal to the output of 2\u20133 nuclear power plants \u2013 despite official orders for miners to shut down during shortages. In late 2024, an energy official noted that <em>illegal<\/em> mining alone had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.presstv.ir\/Detail\/2024\/12\/01\/738298\/Iran-cryptomining-rise-electricity-demand-Tavanir-CEO#:~:text=said\">caused a 16% rise<\/a> in nationwide power demand compared to the previous year.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">This aligns with earlier reports that unlicensed miners were drawing around 2 GW of power in 2020\u201321 when Iran\u2019s total generation capacity was about 60\u201370 GW. For context, a single gigawatt can supply a city of hundreds of thousands of people \u2013 so 2 GW being siphoned by mining is highly significant.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Official Seizures and Estimates<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iran\u2019s state electric company Tavanir has been conducting a campaign to locate and confiscate illegal mining rigs. Since early 2022, authorities claim to have seized over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.presstv.ir\/Detail\/2025\/05\/21\/748383\/Iran-cryptomining-clampdown-machines-confiscation\">252,000 illicit mining<\/a> devices, which officials say would have drawn an estimated 4 GW of electricity if they had remained online. \u201cThat\u2019s equal to the [electricity] usage in three to four small provinces in Iran,\u201d a Tavanir deputy remarked.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/IranProtests?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#IranProtests<\/a>: Bakers Rise Up in Five Provinces Over Power Outages and Corruption in the \u201cNanino\u201d System<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/HLBWiK7rjV\">https:\/\/t.co\/HLBWiK7rjV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1923838035344458083?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 17, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Even after these seizures, tens of thousands of unregistered machines are believed to still be operating \u2013 and many licensed, high-capacity farms (including those run by state-linked actors) were never part of the clampdown. In early 2023, an Iranian energy spokesperson acknowledged that crypto mining \u2013 much of it illegal \u2013 was responsible for roughly 0.8 GW (800 MW) of Iran\u2019s electricity demand at the time. This number might seem small in percentage terms, but it can be the tipping point that forces grid operators to impose blackouts during peak seasons. Every 100 MW diverted to mining is electricity <em>not<\/em> reaching factories, offices, or about 30,000 homes that could have been powered.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cheap Power = Massive Profit<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iran\u2019s heavily subsidized electricity (with rates as low as $0.01\u20130.05 per kilowatt-hour for some users) makes crypto mining exceptionally profitable \u2013 and thus tempting for those who can get away with it. One analysis found the cost to mine one Bitcoin in Iran can be as low as $1,300, whereas that Bitcoin (at late 2024 prices) was worth $30,000\u2013$40,000 on global markets. This 20- to 30-fold profit margin explains why the IRGC, and other actors are willing to risk illicit mining and ignore grid restrictions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The energy intensity is staggering <em>mining a single Bitcoin token requires over 300 megawatt-hours of electricity \u2013 about as much power as 35,000 Iranian households consume in a day<\/em>. Put another way, every Bitcoin produced by these farms effectively represents tens of thousands of homes knocked off the grid for a day. The regime\u2019s former energy minister <a href=\"https:\/\/snn.ir\/fa\/news\/938090\">Reza Ardakanian warned<\/a> that cryptocurrency operations were estimated to be using up nearly 10% of Iran\u2019s total electricity generation by some counts.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Key Economic and Social Crises in 2024<br \/>&#8211; Gas Shortages: Severe disruptions caused blackouts, halted industries, and forced closures across provinces.<br \/>&#8211; Power Outages: Blackouts due to mismanagement and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/IRGC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#IRGC<\/a>\u2019s illicit Bitcoin mining <br \/>&#8211; Currency Depreciation: Rial hit a record low\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/sB0iWzFn1Y\">pic.twitter.com\/sB0iWzFn1Y<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1874564526504354071?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 1, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Global Share and Oil Equivalent<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 2021, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.babelstreet.jp\/blog\/iran-counts-on-bitcoin-to-evade-sanctions\">Iran\u2019s bitcoin mining<\/a> was estimated at 4\u20138% of the global BTC network. While crackdowns and changes in mining difficulty have reportedly reduced Iran\u2019s share (officials in 2022 claimed it fell to around 0.5%\u20131%, and under 0.1% by late 2024), the country remains a notable player. Analysts at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elliptic.co\/blog\/how-iran-uses-bitcoin-mining-to-evade-sanctions\">Elliptic calculated<\/a> that the electricity being devoured by Iranian miners in 2020 would have required the equivalent of ~10 million barrels of crude oil per year to generate, about 4% of Iran\u2019s annual oil exports at the time. This striking comparison underscores how Iran, in effect, is <em>burning through its oil and gas resources to produce Bitcoin<\/em> instead of exporting that energy or supplying its own population.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is important to note that not all of Iran\u2019s power problems stem from Bitcoin mining. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/business\/graphic-iranian-oil-40-years-of-revolution-war-sanctions-and-bans-idUSKCN1N724A\/\">Decades of underinvestment<\/a>, subsidy-fueled overconsumption, and mismanagement have left the electrical infrastructure overstretched. Some experts point out that Iran\u2019s power plants are dilapidated and fuel supply planning is poor, contributing to seasonal shortages. Still, there is broad agreement that unregulated crypto mining \u2013 especially by actors insulated from enforcement \u2013 has become a major stressor on the grid. By pushing up overall demand and often continuing to run during peak consumption periods, these mining operations make it substantially harder for Iran\u2019s grid to keep the lights on.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a> News: Widespread Power Outages and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Fuel?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Fuel<\/a> Crisis Amplify Winter Woes<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Gwdx6T9Utn\">https:\/\/t.co\/Gwdx6T9Utn<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1867925006552092927?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 14, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Power Outages and Evidence of a Crisis<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">From 2019 onward, Iranians have endured recurring waves of rolling blackouts, which have grown more severe in the past few years. Summers bring extreme heat and heavy air-conditioning use, while winters strain the system due to heating needs and fuel shortages at power plants. Cryptocurrency mining has amplified the strain in both seasons, to the point that it has been explicitly cited in emergency measures:<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">2021: Blackouts and a Mining Ban<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In January 2021, major cities including Tehran were hit with sudden power outages, spurring public outrage. Officials pointed to a surge in illegal crypto mining as a key culprit (alongside a drought that cut hydroelectric output). That spring, as blackouts continued ahead of the June elections, President Rouhani took the drastic step of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/technology\/iran-bans-cryptocurrency-mining-4-months-amid-power-cuts-2021-05-26\">banning all cryptocurrency<\/a> mining for four months (May\u2013Sept 2021) to alleviate the electricity shortfall. He noted that unlicensed miners were consuming enormous power and promised a crackdown.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">During this period, Iran\u2019s peak electricity demand was around 60,000 MW; shutting down miners was expected to free up a few thousand megawatts and reduce the daily rationing of power. Indeed, global data showed a temporary dip in Iran\u2019s share of Bitcoin hashrate while the ban was in effect. But enforcement was patchy \u2013 especially against IRGC-linked farms \u2013 and blackouts persisted through the summer of 2021. The government acknowledged crypto mining as one factor, along with high temperatures and aging infrastructure, in what many dubbed \u201cthe summer of darkness.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a> Faces Escalating Crisis Amid Power Outages and Economic Woes<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/E1S7n7ZB9f\">https:\/\/t.co\/E1S7n7ZB9f<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1827805648802771196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 25, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">2022\u20132023: Continuing Shortages and Partial Measures<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite the ban in 2021, mining activity bounced back (legal and illegal) once restrictions lifted, and Iran continued to suffer power problems. In late 2022, as winter approached, Iran\u2019s state power <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rferl.org\/a\/iran-power-cuts-cryptocurrency\/31502220.html\">company warned<\/a> that <em>illegal crypto mining was responsible for about 10% of electricity outages<\/em> expected in the cold season. Authorities periodically ordered licensed miners to shut off during peak months and claimed to be hunting down illegal farms, but with mixed success.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">By mid-2023, Iran still faced what officials called an \u201celectricity gap.\u201d The Energy Ministry again blamed unauthorized crypto miners for a portion of the shortfall, even as it scrambled to secure more fuel for power plants and import electricity from neighbors. Power cuts remained a frequent occurrence in both summers and winters, though slightly less widespread than 2021\u2019s crisis.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Power Crisis in <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a>: Widespread Outages and Public Discontent<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/sSOfWttUr1\">https:\/\/t.co\/sSOfWttUr1<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1817957004243308694?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 29, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Summer 2024: A \u201cSuper-Crisis\u201d<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iran was gripped by one of its worst heatwaves in 50 years in the summer of 2024, driving power consumption to record highs. The result was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/anews\/iran-news-power-outages-force-closure-of-offices-in-15-iranian-provinces-amid-growing-energy-crisis\/\">nationwide outages<\/a> and drastic conservation measures. In August 2024, the government had to fully or partially shut down offices, schools, and universities in 27 of Iran\u2019s 31 provinces to cope with electricity deficits. Even with those emergency shutdowns (aimed at cutting daytime usage), many areas still experienced scheduled blackouts. Iranian media described the situation as a <em>\u201csuper-crisis\u201d<\/em> and reported that the economic damage from power outages exceeds $25 billion per year.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Industries were especially hard-hit \u2013 steel mills, cement factories, and other large consumers were forced to halt production for days on end due to power rationing. Amid public frustration, officials once more highlighted illegal crypto mining as an aggravating factor (along with extreme weather). The energy minister at the time <a href=\"https:\/\/www.presstv.ir\/Detail\/2024\/12\/01\/738298\/Iran-cryptomining-rise-electricity-demand-Tavanir-CEO#:~:text=said\">offered bounties<\/a> to citizens who reported clandestine mining operations, admitting that unauthorized miners were putting \u201chuge pressure\u201d on the grid and <em>\u201cviolating the public\u2019s rights\u201d<\/em> by consuming subsidized power.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a> News in Brief<\/p>\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iranians?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iranians<\/a> struggle wit power outages&amp; high fuel prices, Ebrahim Raisi told Pakistani FM: &quot;The Islamic Republic of Iran has the necessary capacity to meet <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Pakistan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Pakistan<\/a>\u2019s needs in various fields, including oil, gas, and electricity.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/UC49CMzRZK\">https:\/\/t.co\/UC49CMzRZK<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/NVeA9gzjMn\">pic.twitter.com\/NVeA9gzjMn<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1537006767384801280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 15, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Winter 2024\u201325: Cold Weather Outages<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The crisis did not relent with the change of seasons. In late 2024, a cold snap led to natural gas shortages (many Iranian power plants burn gas), triggering electricity cuts in large cities. Again, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.presstv.ir\/Detail\/2024\/12\/01\/738298\/Iran-cryptomining-rise-electricity-demand-Tavanir-CEO#:~:text=The%20official%20said%20that%20cryptomining,compared%20to%20last%20year%27s%20figures\">officials implored<\/a> that all licensed crypto farms shut off and insisted they had halted power to the legal mining centers. However, it\u2019s widely believed that certain politically connected mines continued operating throughout. Notably, even after public appeals, investigators found some facilities \u2013 including those tied to the IRGC \u2013 <em>drawing power during the grid\u2019s peak strain<\/em>, their lights humming while neighborhoods nearby went dark. This pattern of uneven enforcement fuels popular anger and suspicion.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government has often been reluctant to publicly admit how much state-linked crypto mining contributes to the outages. The official narrative typically emphasizes other causes (such as higher household consumption, drought affecting generation, or people running too many air conditioners). But the public and independent observers have connected the dots. By 2025, slogans and social media posts in Iran frequently railed against <em>\u201cmafias\u201d<\/em> or <em>\u201ccartels\u201d<\/em> stealing electricity. Even some regime lawmakers and ex-officials have criticized the indulgence of crypto mining, warning that it jeopardizes an already fragile grid.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Iran\u2019s Ban on Cryptocurrency Mining Unlikely To Stave off Energy Shortages, Protests<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cryptocurrency?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#cryptocurrency<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/aSnF10WFPl\">https:\/\/t.co\/aSnF10WFPl<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1476827715705749506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 31, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Human Toll: Iranians Left in the Dark<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The diversion of vast amounts of electricity into hidden crypto ventures has had tangible, painful effects on daily life in Iran. Every megawatt consumed by a Bitcoin farm is a megawatt unavailable for homes, hospitals, and industries. Thus, the misuse of national electricity for private gain directly harms ordinary Iranians in several ways:<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Household Hardships<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In blackout-hit neighborhoods, families must deal with summer heat and winter cold without heating or cooling. Food spoils in refrigerators; water supply (dependent on electric pumps) can be interrupted. In July 2021, for instance, many Tehran residents found themselves stuck in elevators or stranded in traffic due <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/news\/economy\/irans-energy-crisis-blackouts-hypocrisy-and-growing-public-anger\/\">to sudden power cuts<\/a>. By 2024, outages were so frequent that people jokingly shared \u201cload-shedding schedules\u201d on social media to plan their day. There is widespread resentment that while citizens endure these hardships and are even asked to conserve energy, certain regime-backed facilities guzzle power nonstop. As one Iranian put it, <em>\u201cWe sit in the dark to keep the Bitcoin machines running.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a> News: Chainalysis Report Exposes Regime\u2019s Deepening Reliance on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Crypto?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Crypto<\/a> Amid Economic Collapse<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/gT7tFPsvnH\">https:\/\/t.co\/gT7tFPsvnH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1892928061617672565?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">February 21, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Healthcare and Safety<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prolonged outages have jeopardized critical services. Hospitals rely on backup generators to keep life-saving equipment running, but not all clinics have reliable backups. During the summer <a href=\"https:\/\/cryptorank.io\/news\/feed\/40e78-crypto-cartel-plunges-iran-into-darkness\">2024 blackouts<\/a>, some hospitals in smaller cities were overwhelmed, postponing surgeries and moving patients as air conditioning failed.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Traffic signals and streetlights going out have led to accidents. At night, the darkness raises security concerns for households. It is bitterly noted that IRGC bases and mining centers stayed powered while hospital wings went dim \u2013 a stark illustration of misplaced priorities.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Economic Losses<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The power cuts have inflicted billions in losses on Iran\u2019s economy. Small businesses, from bakeries to workshops, must shut during outages, losing income. Large industries like steel and cement have reported equipment damage and production delays. Iran\u2019s Bargh News (an energy industry outlet) <a href=\"https:\/\/barghnews.com\/fa\/news\/60713\">estimated the total<\/a> cost of power outages to the economy at over $25 billion annually \u2013 costs ultimately borne by society in the form of higher prices, lost jobs, and reduced services. Much of this damage is attributable to the persistent gap between supply and demand in electricity \u2013 a gap widened by the unaccounted drain of crypto mining.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">&quot;Over the years, the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/IRGC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#IRGC<\/a> has expanded its <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/economic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#economic<\/a> activities, establishing numerous semi-private companies to circumvent sanctions imposed on the regime ruling <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iran?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iran<\/a> and engaging in large-scale smuggling operations,&quot; writes <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/shahriarkia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@shahriarkia<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/genvxrs91b\">https:\/\/t.co\/genvxrs91b<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1659292783251714078?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 18, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Quantifying the Loss<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Consider the earlier statistic that each Bitcoin mined uses ~300 MWh, enough to power 35,000 homes for a day. By another measure, Iranian officials say each mining device can consume as much electricity as 10 households. With tens of thousands of such machines running, the math is stark: energy that could sustain hundreds of thousands of homes is instead feeding mining rigs. During peak summer demand, that difference can mean the entire capital city of a province going dark to accommodate the power draw. It is no wonder that public discourse in Iran increasingly frames the regime\u2019s off-the-books crypto mining as <em>\u201cstealing light from people\u2019s homes.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\">Public Backlash and Scapegoating<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Iranian public\u2019s frustration has grown alongside their electricity bills. Many see the situation as emblematic of corruption: those connected to power (literally and figuratively) enriching themselves while everyone else suffers rolling blackouts.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">State media and officials still often <a href=\"https:\/\/barghnews.com\/fa\/news\/33406\/\">blame ordinary people<\/a> for using too much power or point to technical issues, downplaying the role of state-sanctioned mining. This narrative has increasingly fallen flat. Iranians widely suspect that many of the \u201cillegal\u201d farms being busted are small fry, whereas the biggest power thieves operate under IRGC protection. Indeed, any time there is a concerted crackdown, it seems to target civilian-run setups (some in remote farms or homes), not the guarded warehouses on military sites. This disparity feeds cynicism and erodes trust in authorities\u2019 willingness to truly address the root causes of the power crisis.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Exclusive Report: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Iranian?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Iranian<\/a> Regime\u2019s Covert Methods to Circumvent <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/Sanctions?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#Sanctions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/DbQ9K2J6tx\">https:\/\/t.co\/DbQ9K2J6tx<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/iran_policy\/status\/1666204568261124126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 6, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\">A Political Gamble with Heavy Costs<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">What began as a creative response to sanctions has morphed into a homegrown energy crisis. Iran\u2019s experiment with state-backed Bitcoin mining\u2014championed by the IRGC and other centers of power\u2014has brought in hard currency but at the expense of destabilizing the national grid and deepening hardships for the public. The IRGC\u2019s crypto operations, though lucrative for the regime elite, are effectively parasitic on Iran\u2019s economy and infrastructure. Each Bitcoin mined under its aegis comes at a steep cost: more fossil fuel consumption, more emissions, and more hours of blackout for homes and businesses.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In trying to bypass sanctions, Tehran inadvertently empowered an \u201cenergy black market\u201d dominated by unaccountable institutions. The result: entrenched corruption, capital flight, and a weakened grip over its own energy system.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For millions of Iranians, hope lies in a more accountable and modernized energy policy\u2014one that ends the privileges of \u201ccrypto cartels\u201d and restores electricity access as a public right. Unless the shadow networks behind IRGC-linked mining are dismantled or brought under real oversight, there\u2019s no solution in sight. The grid will remain strained, and Iranians will continue to pay the price in flickering bulbs and sweltering nights.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iran\u2019s case is a cautionary tale: when crypto mining serves opaque power, it doesn\u2019t just undermine energy security\u2014it fuels public resentment and brings a nation closer to breaking point.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eleven-minute read Iran&rsquo;s state-linked Bitcoin mining farms consist of rows of specialized computer servers (ASIC miners) that guzzle electricity on an industrial scale. In recent years, Iran has experienced debilitating [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":332030,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,10],"tags":[269,270,1176],"class_list":{"0":"post-332029","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-special-reports","8":"category-economy","9":"tag-iran-economy","10":"tag-corruption","11":"tag-irgc-iran"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Bitcoin Mining in Iran, IRGC Operations and the Power Grid Crisis - NCRI<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Eleven-minute read Iran\u2019s state-linked Bitcoin mining farms consist of rows of specialized computer servers (ASIC miners) that guzzle electricity on an\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/publications\/special-reports\/bitcoin-mining-in-iran-irgc-operations-and-the-power-grid-crisis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bitcoin Mining in Iran, IRGC Operations and the Power Grid Crisis - 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