Iran Ranks Fourth in Global Cryptocurrency Mining
WANA (Nov 02) – Iran has become the world’s fourth-largest cryptocurrency mining country, with an estimated 13 million Iranians active in the crypto market, according to Akbar Hasan Beklou, CEO of the Tehran Province Electricity Distribution Company.
Citing official statistics, Beklou said that roughly 427,000 active mining devices are operating nationwide, consuming more than 1,400 megawatts of electricity around the clock. He noted that Iran’s low electricity prices have turned the country into a “paradise for illegal miners.”
Beklou added that since the launch of the government’s campaign against unauthorized crypto mining, 104 illegal mining farms have been discovered in Tehran Province, and 1,465 mining devices have been seized.
Their total electricity consumption—around 3,359 kilowatts, equivalent to 10,000 residential units—has placed heavy strain on the national grid, reducing the stability of power supplies for both residential and industrial consumers.
The official stressed that over 95 percent of these devices operate using unauthorized electricity connections, noting that illegal mining activities, particularly those disguised as industrial units, have caused a significant increase in power theft, wasted subsidized energy, and limited electricity available for legitimate industries.
Beklou also revealed that several districts in Tehran Province are hotspots for illegal mining, including Pakdasht, Firuzkuh, Malard, Shahre Qods, Kahrizak, and industrial zones in southwestern Tehran. During the first half of the current year alone, 80 unauthorized farms containing 1,300 mining devices were uncovered, consuming power equivalent to that used by 8,000 households.
He said that electricity thieves often use sophisticated concealment methods, such as digging underground tunnels, burying mining devices, and tapping into subsidized industrial power lines, making detection difficult.
Nevertheless, he added, specialized inspection teams from the power company, working alongside security and law enforcement agencies, are continuously monitoring and dismantling these illegal operations.
Iran Ranks Fourth in Global Cryptocurrency Mining. Social media/ WANA News Agency
