Reuters: Nobitex founders tied to family linked with Iran's Supreme Leader

May 3 — A Reuters investigation says Iran's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex, was founded by brothers Ali and Mohammad Kharrazi, who allegedly used the alias "Aghamir" to register the company and conduct business to downplay ties to the influential Kharrazi family. Reuters reported the Kharrazi family has long-standing links to Iran's Supreme Leader establishment, with connections to both Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his potential successor, Mojtaba Khamenei. The brothers' grandfather served in the Assembly of Experts, the body that appoints the Supreme Leader, and was described as Mojtaba's mentor. Their father was said to have helped establish the Iranian political organization Hezbollah and assisted in the creation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Nobitex reportedly has more than 11 million users and continued operating during nationwide internet shutdowns and wartime conditions in Iran. Analysts cited by Reuters estimated the platform processed more than $100 million in crypto transactions during the conflict, with a sizable share moving overseas. Blockchain analytics firms said Nobitex handled some transactions involving sanctioned entities, though estimates differ sharply. Elliptic put suspicious flows at about $366 million, while Chainalysis estimated roughly $68 million. Reuters also said wallet addresses linked to Iran's central bank transferred hundreds of millions of dollars in crypto assets to Nobitex in 2025, a pattern believed to align with Iran's efforts to bypass financial sanctions.