Key message: despite a widespread search for illegal mining, Iran’s Ministry of Industry, Mining and Trade on Wednesday issued operating licenses for 30 cryptocurrency mining centers in the country, the Financial Tribune reported.

Iran and mining licenses and permits

Iran’s Semnan province received the most licenses, with six crypto mining farms receiving permits. Alborz province received 4 such licenses. The other provinces are Mazandaran, East Azarbaijan and Zanjan. Tehran province, also a capital province, has reportedly received one licence to operate a mining centre.

The Ministry has also issued many permits for the establishment of new industrial units for mining. It has issued 2 579 licences throughout the country, 305 of which have been granted to Zanjan province. Zanjan is followed by Fars province with 262 permits and West Azerbaijan with 247 permits.

An operating license is mandatory for Iranian companies to start a legal cryptocurrency mining business. Cryptocurrency mining is legal in Iran, miners can operate in this country according to rules approved by the government in July 2019. However, the government is actively cracking down on illegal miners due to the growing pressure on the national energy grid. However, the issuance of the licenses indicates that the country is far from an across-the-board ban on mining.

Source: cointelegraph.com