Prologue
Bitcoin, now approaching one hundred thousand dollars, serves as a reminder that those who, in past years, hindered Iran—already burdened by sanctions—from benefiting from the vast advantages of cryptocurrency adoption and usability, through various excuses, obstruction, and inaction, should now feel ashamed and apologize to the people.
The story of Bitcoin is not just about its price. Even if its price were one-tenth of its current value, cryptocurrencies would still hold immense potential as valuable tools for investment, exchange, decentralized financial services, and tokenization—capabilities that have been suppressed in Iran.
One example of these misguided actions is the blocking of cryptocurrency exchange accounts, which coincided with the rise in the U.S. dollar’s exchange rate. This happened despite Mohammadreza Farzin, the Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, recently acknowledging that the exchange rate is unrelated to cryptocurrency prices, even Tether (USDT), and is influenced by other factors. However, the discussion is not just about halting destructive actions. Iran must also develop a comprehensive plan for cryptocurrency growth. Cryptocurrencies do not need documents of confrontation; they need progressive regulations that provide the legal framework necessary for their various applications, ultimately allowing blockchain technology to contribute to the country’s economic development.
In this issue, we once again delve into the jurisprudential aspects of cryptocurrencies from both the Shia and Sunni perspectives. The publication of these studies coincides with the Supreme Leader’s recent emphasis on seminaries providing solutions for emerging issues such as cryptocurrencies.
The World Bank is one of the main institutions upholding the global dollar-dominated financial system. In this issue, we present a detailed report analyzing the governance and operational mechanisms of this institution.
Additionally, we have examined two impactful and revolutionary projects—Pendel and Peik. We have not overlooked legal matters in Iran, either. Besides analyzing the legal implications of cryptocurrency exchange account blockages, we have conducted an in-depth review of an important document from the Vice President for Legal Affairs.
On the day this magazine went to print, a significant and promising piece of news emerged: the announcement of a national cryptocurrency policy document by the National Cyberspace Center, as disclosed by its spokesperson. In future issues, we will undoubtedly provide our esteemed readers with thorough critiques and analyses of this document.
Finally, I must remind our readers about the International deBlock Conference, for which the call for papers has been announced. Fortunately, we have seen enthusiastic participation from researchers, professors, and students in the scientific section of the conference. For more information, be sure to visit the conference website at www.deBlockSummit.org.
Until the next issue, stay with us.
