Anonymous ID: b6f055 July 22, 2019, 8:04 p.m. No.7141437   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>1542 >>1823 >>1964

Iran Legalizes Crypto-Mining As "Official Industry"

 

After weeks of uncertainty, the Iranian government’s Economic Commission has approved a mechanism of cryptocurrency mining in the country, according to an announcement by the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture on July 22.

 

As CoinTelegraph's Ana Alexandre reports, Governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI), Abdolnaser Hemmati said that “a mechanism to mine digital coins was approved by the government’s economic commission and will later be put to discussion at a Cabinet meeting.”

 

Initially, Iranian authorities announced that they are planning to authorize Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining earlier in July, when the CBI governor Abdol Hemmati reportedly claimed that the Iranian government had approved some parts of an executive law that would authorize mining of cryptocurrencies in Iran.

 

At the time, Hemmati argued that digital currency miners in Iran should contribute to the country’s economy, rather than letting mined Bitcoin escape abroad.

 

Also, at the Commission’s latest meeting, its head Elyas Hazrati said that cryptocurrency is now recognized as official by the government, adding:

 

“We do believe that cryptocurrency industry should be recognized as an official industry in Iran to let the country take advantage of its tax and customs revenues.”

 

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-07-22/iran-finalizes-electricity-pricing-scheme-crypto-miners

Anonymous ID: b6f055 July 22, 2019, 8:07 p.m. No.7141469   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>1515 >>1540 >>1542 >>1823 >>1964

Mueller Team Dismisses Loss of Flynn’s Testimony in Turkey Lobbying Case

 

ALEXANDRIA, Va.—Prosecutors from the team of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller dismissed the fact that they lacked the testimony of Gen. Michael Flynn during the trial of a former partner in Flynn’s consulting firm for undisclosed lobbying on behalf of Turkey.

 

Flynn, former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, wasn’t charged in the case as part of his plea deal. He was expected to testify for the Mueller team on the case, but the prosecutors withdrew his testimony after his new lawyers made clear that he wouldn’t say what they wanted him to.

 

During the closing arguments on July 22, the defense accused the Mueller team of a lack of transparency for not calling on Flynn to testify. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Gillis retorted by saying that Flynn’s testimony wouldn’t have helped the jurors decide the case anyway. He pointed out that the defense could call on Flynn just as well, but didn’t.

 

The case alleges that Bijan Rafiekian, former partner in the now-defunct Flynn Intel Group (FIG), and Ekim Alptekin, a Turkish businessman, conspired to lobby in the United States on behalf of Turkey without disclosing it to the U.S. government. They were also accused of lying on foreign lobbying registration forms.

 

In June, the Mueller team asked Flynn to testify that he signed the lobbying forms in full knowledge that there were false statements in them and that he intended for the false statements to be there. Flynn refused, saying he only acknowledged the falsities with hindsight and wasn’t aware of them at the time.

 

That angered Brandon Van Grack, one of Mueller’s main prosecutors, according to Flynn’s lawyers.

 

Shortly after, the Mueller team called off Flynn’s testimony.

 

Gillis focused in his closing argument on the conspiracy charge, telling the jury that even though FIG ultimately registered as a foreign agent for Turkey in March 2017, by that time “the fat was in the fire” since Flynn already had an op-ed published in The Hill in November 2016, which the Mueller team alleges was the smoking gun of undisclosed lobbying for Turkey.

 

https://www.theepochtimes.com/mueller-team-dismisses-loss-of-flynns-testimony-in-turkey-lobbying-case_3012540.html