Regarding rumors that Iran may seek to collect shipping transit fees in cryptocurrency, Chainalysis Senior Intelligence Analyst Kaitlin Martin stated that under the current sanctions framework, any payments made to the Iranian government (including critical waterway transit fees) could be considered 'material support,' exposing shipping companies to severe risks of violating U.S. and international restrictions. Martin pointed out that while cryptocurrency enables cross-border transfers outside the traditional financial system, its ledger is transparent and leaves a permanent record, making it actually easier to trace than traditional methods of sanctions evasion. Additionally, due to tensions in U.S.-Israel relations, Iran's Bitcoin hash rate has significantly dropped over the past quarter, from approximately 9 EH/s to around 2 EH/s. (Cointelegraph) https://(wublock123.com)/news/news-59404