Russia and Iran to join forces in AI and blockchain development

The governments of Russia and Iran have agreed to collaborate in a lot of digital areas, together with the event of blockchain applied sciences and synthetic intelligence (AI).

Studies of the brand new initiative of the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic come after Putin himself pitched an identical proposal to India, too. In addition they observe his current name for AI and tech sovereignty.

Moscow and Tehran be part of forces in AI race, fintech house

Russia and Iran are going to work collectively within the IT sector, throughout a variety of fields of digital growth, the Russian and Iranian media unveiled.

A brand new memorandum of understanding between them will facilitate joint efforts in constructing synthetic intelligence (AI) techniques and sensible infrastructure for the 2 states.

The doc places a selected emphasis on bilateral partnership in fostering cybersecurity and creating regulatory frameworks, in addition to strengthening ties between Russian and Iranian companies.

The settlement was signed by Meysam Abedi, Iran’s deputy minister of communications and data expertise, and Alexander Shoitov, the Russian deputy minister of digital growth, communications, and mass media.

The officers sealed the deal in Moscow, on the finish of the newest assembly of their nations’ joint working group on communications and data expertise, the Iranian information company IRNA reported Friday.

The 2 governments additionally plan to begin cooperating in digital finance, extra particularly, blockchain expertise and fintech options. It will cowl the actions of regulatory our bodies and tech parks as properly, the Russian media famous.

Talking to reporters within the Russian capital, the Iranian consultant emphasised that the doc underscores the 2 nations’ willpower to increase collaboration in areas akin to knowledge switch, e-government, and trade of technical experience.

Russia units crypto regulation and synthetic intelligence as priorities for 2026

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

Talking at a bilateral enterprise discussion board, the Russian head of state, who visited India this week, insisted on the significance of transferring past commerce of their relations.

“We have to go additional and enhance industrial cooperation. Collectively, we’ll create new fashionable merchandise and strengthen technological alliances, primarily in superior and knowledge-intensive industries akin to digitalization, autonomous robotics, prescribed drugs,” Putin elaborated.

Quoted by Tass on Friday, he additionally said:

“We’re prepared for a broad partnership with India within the discipline of synthetic intelligence, the place our nations have their very own superior developments.”

Putin explicitly remarked that Russia received’t miss India’s AI summit scheduled for February 2026, assuring it “will ship a consultant delegation to this occasion.”

In November, the Russian president urged his nation to rally behind home AI as a way to guarantee its technological independence, as reported by Cryptopolitan.

As regards monetary sovereignty, Russia plans to launch its digital ruble for public use subsequent 12 months and significantly give attention to regulating transactions with cryptocurrencies in its jurisdiction, with clear indications it’s aiming for looser guidelines.

The authorities in Iran, which have rather more expertise than Russia and India on the receiving finish of Western sanctions, have been altering their attitudes in the direction of cryptocurrencies, too.

Throughout the nation’s first main worldwide blockchain convention final month, officers indicated they now need their nation to develop into a crypto hub, vowing to undertake a “strategic” strategy to regulation within the house.

Tehran additionally proposed creating a typical cryptocurrency for nations within the Shanghai Cooperation Group (SCO), of which it’s a member, along with Russia and India.