Some updates on Iran... we have had a widespread blackout across Iran.

Talking to families, it has affected all parts of the country and it has been for 2-2.5 hours.

Blackouts occasionally happen but mostly during the hot season when power consumption rises due to heavy use of a/c but during the winters and this widespread, we have not seen for at least 20 years.

Meanwhile some officials have said that this is due to a spike in the consumption of natural gas in the households that has resulted in power stations not getting enough gas. https://twitter.com/elmira_sharifi/status/1348935296046530560?s=20

Now the Natural Gas officials deny that this is due to the low pressure of gas in the power stations and delivery oof gas has increased this year in fact. They finally said it is due to "other things" without specifying what those other things are. https://www.yjc.ir/fa/news/7628261/%DA%A9%D9%85%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%AF-%DA%AF%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%AF%D9%84%DB%8C%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B9%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%82-%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%AE%D8%AA-%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B1%D9%88%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%87-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%82-%DA%AF%D9%85-%D8%B4%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA-

Having said that, the shortage of gas is real and some power stations have started using low grade heavy oil leading to unprecedented air pollution.

Talking to my father-in-law, he said going for a walk he could hardly see his hands this morning (Tehran). https://twitter.com/IranIntl/status/1348993533127110656?s=20

But what is the cause? Some talk of hacks and sabotage. Others been talking about the possibility of Bitcoin Mining as the main culprit.

With the price $BTC so high, this could be a possibility.

In fact anecdotal reports suggest that since factories and agricultural businesses get a subsidised rate for electricity, this is commonplace.

This tweep claims probably around 60% of industrial units stopped their work and just mining bitcoin. https://twitter.com/mr_salarkhan/status/1348939372176023552?s=20

Also it has been reported that the Chinese companies (in collaboration with Iran) have been mining bitcoin in South East of Iran.

According to some analysis Iran has been accounted for generating 3.8% of the world's mined bitcoins. https://tejaratnews.com/startup/%D9%85%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%B9%D9%87-%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%AA-%DA%A9%D9%88%DB%8C%D9%86

Rumours also suggest that this is being done in a big scale by the IRGC.

In any case, think about it. A country under sanctions, cut from the transfer of funds due to FATF blacklist, what would you do if you were Iran?

Good night.

/end