I like to say that the Earth has three poles: North, South and Washington. The US maintains its monetary superiority through the dollar, while legal instruments like Fatca – a US law requiring foreign financial institutions to report on assets they hold on behalf of Americans – serve to further centralise the dollar by making sure that everything is closely monitored. Because of this global reach, American sanctions often spell the death of budding economies.
How, then, has Iran’s ruling regime managed to last when for so long it has found itself at odds with the US and subject to US sanctions? It continues to project its own influence outside of its borders by funding various proxy groups. It supports the Hezbollah militant political party in Lebanon, the Houthi rebels of Yemen and the vassalage of Iraq through various militias holding the government hostage. Sponsoring groups like these is an expensive endeavour, even for prospering nations. Iran, a nation besieged economically, is pursuing these interests successfully. So how does it bypass US sanctions?
Iran’s government is an intelligent and tenacious state actor, capable of defining and pursuing its interests competently. It also maintains an infinite interest in sustaining its previous foreign investments, including Hezbollah and the Houthis, indefinitely, by whatever means necessary. Like any state, once faced with difficulties, Tehran can be trusted to adopt solutions and strategies that mitigate these difficulties. Furthermore, the level of state secrecy and intrigue that pervades Iran makes gathering hard evidence nigh on impossible.
But it is possible to get a sense of the Iranian strategy to sustain itself purely through a little mathematical intuition. If I, a relatively unaffected author, can conjure up a way for Iran to effectively bypass US sanctions, then it is likely that Iran, given the pressure it faces, has already been doing that for some time and has even become good at it.
How does an entity under sanction continuously supply its proxies with fresh US dollars? How does it maintain US dollar liquidity? The answer might surprise many. It is Bitcoin, the world’s most prolific cryptocurrency.
Bitcoin’s unique properties like anonymity, security, portability, and decentralisation help secure Iran’s assets from American surveillance and sabotage. Bitcoin’s fungibility in turn is a great boon to Iran’s worldwide operations; any amount of Bitcoin can easily be exchanged for dollars (or any other currency) relatively easily.
The reality is that the Iranian economy has been suffering a great deal in recent years, putting a strain on its funding for Hezbollah. This has caused the militant group to turn to other means to fund itself, namely the international drug trade and money laundering.
Despite Hezbollah's denial of its involvement in these things (which it claims would go against its supposedly devout principles), there is little room for doubt that it does indeed run a massive global trafficking ring with the help of some in the Lebanese diaspora. In fact, it has been reported widely that Iran encourages Hezbollah to engage in this trade. After all, the extension of Hezbollah's illicit activities to South America was an integral mechanism through which Tehran cemented its alliance with the government of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.
Hezbollah maintains a global network of operatives, primarily in the US and Europe, along with a sizeable standing army at home in Lebanon. All of this requires serious amounts of cash flow. For the reasons outlined earlier, Bitcoin provides an easy solution to all of their liquidity problems.
Venezuela and Iran both maintain vast Bitcoin mining sectors, easing the ability to denominate transactions between them in the cryptocurrency. Unlike the Iranian rial or the Venezuelan bolivar, both of which have experienced unstable levels of inflation, Bitcoin has value everywhere. Moreover, it is is a secure and appreciating asset; anyone following cryptocurrency news can see how rapidly its value has risen, making it a great hedge against the rapidly depreciating Iranian rial.
Bitcoin is also decentralised and cannot be manipulated in any direct way by the US Treasury or other regulatory authorities. Bitcoin, by its very nature, does not recognise the terms “sanction” or “regulation”.
It is also – and this is crucial – anonymous. This means that even sanctioned individuals can engage in transactions via Bitcoin because there is no link between a cryptocurrency “wallet” (the virtual means of storing one’s cryptocurrency assets) and its owner.
Furthermore, sending large amounts of money through the Bitcoin network is incredibly easy – almost instantaneous, actually – and peer-to-peer. Since one person can own multiple wallets, the true amount of Bitcoin owned and operated by a government such as Iran’s can be masked so as to avoid suspicion. This, in and of itself, could sustain Iran’s operatives in the West. While the US dollar may have to pass through three banks before finally reaching its destination, Bitcoin is disbursed in a way similar to a cash handout.
Even sanctioned individuals can engage in transactions via Bitcoin because there is no link between a "wallet" and its owner
Even a small amount of Bitcoin would have been enough for Iran and its operatives to kickstart operations, largely thanks to its value having skyrocketed recently because of an ongoing rush on it by investors. In fact, the direct links between Hezbollah and Bitcoin have already become apparent to law enforcement agencies. Last summer, the US Department of Justice extradited two men from Cyprus – a Bitcoin thief and a Hezbollah narcotics operative.
Bitcoin has already witnessed a remarkably high adoption rate among the public in Iran, where mining it has proven to be especially lucrative because of subsidies on electricity. A study of 1,650 Iranians has revealed that some earn upwards of $3,000 per month from cryptocurrency activities. Sweden has agreed to invest in the Iranian stock market with Bitcoin, and Russia has invested in Iran's blockchain technology infrastructure. Bitcoin has seen such a massive adoption rate in Iran that it has even entered legislation. It is now legal to import goods into Iran using Bitcoin, and the mining of Bitcoin using subsidised energy is strictly regulated by Iran's Ministry of Energy. According to the New York Times, Iran and Venezuela are attempting to launch their own cryptocurrencies.
As Tanvi Ratna, a blockchain expert writing in Foreign Policy magazine, puts it: "Iran has clearly understood that cryptocurrencies are among the ways to challenge and subvert the US-dominated financial architecture."
The unipolar global political order has been fraying at the seams as much as the economic order, as nations look for whatever means they can outside of established, regulated systems to assert their dominance. Bitcoin will become indispensable in the future by ensuring a parallel global monetary architecture, for nations and private entities alike. If Iran and Hezbollah are not yet using Bitcoin to bypass the US, then they would be much further behind than all of the incentives and available evidence suggest. And if they are, then others are certainly following suit.
This article is adapted from a paper originally published in the Lebanon Law Review.
Antoine Kanaan is editor-in-chief of the Lebanon Law Review
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PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Squads
India: Kohli (c), Rahul, Shaw, Agarwal, Pujara, Rahane, Vihari, Pant (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Shami, Umesh, Siraj, Thakur
West Indies: Holder (c), Ambris, Bishoo, Brathwaite, Chase, Dowrich (wk), Gabriel, Hamilton, Hetmyer, Hope, Lewis, Paul, Powell, Roach, Warrican, Joseph
'C'mon C'mon'
Director:Mike Mills
Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman
Rating: 4/5
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
Personalities on the Plate: The Lives and Minds of Animals We Eat
Barbara J King, University of Chicago Press
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FOLD5
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FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
'Skin'
Dir: Guy Nattiv
Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
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TOP%2010%20MOST%20POLLUTED%20CITIES
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Overall head-to-head
Federer 6-1 Cilic
Head-to-head at Wimbledon
Federer 1-0 Cilic
Grand Slams titles
Federer 18-1 Cilic
Best Wimbledon performance
Federer: Winner (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012)
Cilic: Final (2017*)
The%20Hunger%20Games%3A%20The%20Ballad%20of%20Songbirds%20%26%20Snakes
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Francis%20Lawrence%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3ERachel%20Zegler%2C%20Peter%20Dinklage%2C%20Viola%20Davis%2C%20Tom%20Blyth%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 0 Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 55')
Man of the Match Allan (Everton)
Pieces of Her
Stars: Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, David Wenham, Omari Hardwick
Director: Minkie Spiro
Rating:2/5
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
