The governments of Russia and Iran have agreed to cooperate in a number of digital areas, including the development of blockchain technology and artificial intelligence (AI).
Reports of a new initiative for the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic come after President Putin himself proposed a similar proposal to India. They are also following his recent calls for AI and technological sovereignty.
Moscow and Tehran partner on AI competition and fintech
Russian and Iranian media have revealed that Russia and Iran will cooperate in the IT field in a wide range of digital development areas.
A new memorandum of understanding between the two countries will facilitate joint efforts in building artificial intelligence (AI) systems and smart infrastructure in both countries.
The document places particular emphasis on bilateral partnerships in promoting cybersecurity and building regulatory frameworks, as well as strengthening ties between Russian and Iranian companies.
The agreement was signed by Meisam Abedi, Iran's Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology, and Alexander Shoytov, Russia's Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media.
Iranian news agency IRNA reported on Friday that officials signed the agreement in Moscow after the conclusion of the latest meeting of the two countries' joint working group on communications and information technology.
The two governments also plan to begin cooperation in digital finance, specifically blockchain technology and fintech solutions. Russian media pointed out that this would also cover the activities of regulators and tech parks.
Speaking to reporters in the Russian capital, the Iranian representative stressed that the document underlines the two countries' determination to expand cooperation in areas such as data transfer, e-government and exchange of technical expertise.
Russia sets cryptocurrency regulation and artificial intelligence as priorities for 2026
The signing of the memorandum of understanding between Russia and Iran came after President Vladimir Putin indicated that Russia was also willing to cooperate with New Delhi in AI development.
The Russian head of state, who visited India this week, spoke at a bilateral business forum and emphasized the importance of moving beyond trade in bilateral relations.
“We need to go further and improve industrial cooperation. Together we will create new modern products and strengthen technological cooperation, mainly in advanced and knowledge-intensive industries such as digitalization, autonomous robotics and pharmaceuticals,” Putin elaborated.
Quoting Mr. Tas on Friday, he also said:
“We are ready to enter into a broad partnership with India in the field of artificial intelligence, where both countries are making advanced developments of their own.”
President Putin made it clear that Russia would not miss India's AI summit scheduled for February 2026, and promised to “send a delegation to this event.”
As reported by Cryptopolitan, in November Russia's president asked the public to rally in support of domestic AI to ensure technological independence.
Regarding financial sovereignty, Russia plans to begin public use of the digital ruble next year and to seriously regulate virtual currency transactions within its jurisdiction, making it clear that Russia is aiming for deregulation.
Iranian authorities, which have more experience with Western sanctions than Russia or India, have also changed their attitude toward cryptocurrencies.
At the country's first major international blockchain conference held last month, officials indicated they now want their country to become a crypto hub and vowed to take a “strategic” approach to regulating the sector.
The Iranian government has also proposed creating a common virtual currency for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries, of which it is a member, along with Russia and India.
