Russia and Iran to join forces in AI and blockchain development

The governments of Russia and Iran have agreed to collaborate in a number of digital areas, including the development of blockchain technologies and artificial intelligence (AI).

Reports of the new initiative of the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic come after Putin himself pitched a similar proposal to India, too. They also follow his recent call for AI and tech sovereignty.

Moscow and Tehran join forces in AI race, fintech space

Russia and Iran are going to work together in the IT sector, across a wide range of fields of digital development, the Russian and Iranian media unveiled.

A new memorandum of understanding between them will facilitate joint efforts in building artificial intelligence (AI) systems and smart infrastructure for the two states.

The document puts a particular emphasis on bilateral partnership in fostering cybersecurity and creating regulatory frameworks, as well as strengthening ties between Russian and Iranian businesses.

The agreement was signed by Meysam Abedi, Iran’s deputy minister of communications and information technology, and Alexander Shoitov, the Russian deputy minister of digital development, communications, and mass media.

The officials sealed the deal in Moscow, at the end of the latest meeting of their countries’ joint working group on communications and information technology, the Iranian news agency IRNA reported Friday.

The two governments also plan to start cooperating in digital finance, more specifically, blockchain technology and fintech solutions. This will cover the activities of regulatory bodies and tech parks as well, the Russian media noted.

Speaking to reporters in the Russian capital, the Iranian representative emphasized that the document underscores the two nations’ determination to expand collaboration in areas such as data transfer, e-government, and exchange of technical expertise.

Russia sets crypto regulation and artificial intelligence as priorities for 2026

The signing of the memorandum between Russia and Iran comes after President Vladimir Putin indicated that Moscow is ready to also cooperate with New Delhi in AI development.

Speaking at a bilateral business forum, the Russian head of state, who visited India this week, insisted on the importance of moving beyond trade in their relations.

“We need to go further and improve industrial cooperation. Together, we will create new modern products and strengthen technological alliances, primarily in advanced and knowledge-intensive industries such as digitalization, autonomous robotics, pharmaceuticals,” Putin elaborated.

Quoted by Tass on Friday, he also stated:

“We are ready for a broad partnership with India in the field of artificial intelligence, where our countries have their own advanced developments.”

Putin explicitly remarked that Russia won’t miss India’s AI summit scheduled for February 2026, assuring it “will send a representative delegation to this event.”

In November, the Russian president urged his nation to rally behind domestic AI in order to ensure its technological independence, as reported by Cryptopolitan.

As regards financial sovereignty, Russia plans to launch its digital ruble for public use next year and seriously focus on regulating transactions with cryptocurrencies in its jurisdiction, with clear indications it’s aiming for looser rules.

The authorities in Iran, which have much more experience than Russia and India on the receiving end of Western sanctions, have been changing their attitudes towards cryptocurrencies, too.

During the country’s first major international blockchain conference last month, officials indicated they now want their country to become a crypto hub, vowing to adopt a “strategic” approach to regulation in the space.

Tehran also proposed creating a common cryptocurrency for nations in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), of which it is a member, together with Russia and India.