Iran crypto exchange tied to Kharrazi dynasty channels sanctioned flows – Reuters
Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex, was founded by brothers Ali and Mohammad Kharrazi, members of a powerful clerical and political dynasty closely tied to the country’s leadership, Reuters reported on Friday.
The brothers are the grandsons of an ayatollah who taught Iran’s current supreme leader and later served on the Assembly of Experts. Their father, Ayatollah Bagher Kharrazi, founded a political-religious group and was involved with early Revolutionary Guards structures, while a great-uncle served as foreign minister and adviser to successive leaders. The family is also linked by marriage to the supreme leader’s relatives.
Nobitex has processed transactions tied to sanctioned entities including Iran’s central bank and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, while serving millions of users seeking access to global markets under sanctions. The company denies government ties.