January 17, 2021 @ 6:48 pm By Omar Faridi
There have reportedly been massive blackouts and smog that have hit several cities in Iran. It’s being described as quite a toxic mix as the nation, which is facing serious economic challenges and crippling US-led sanctions, is now also having to deal with the region’s worst COVID-19 outbreak.
Like in many other developing countries such as nearby Pakistan, blackouts aren’t really a new development in Iran. The country has an outdated and subsidized electricity industry that’s not performing efficiently, allegedly due to corruption and mismanagement.
But with these recent blackouts, the Iranian government claims that Bitcoin mining at cryptocurrency-focused datacenters can be partially blamed.