Russian Mir cards began to be accepted in Iran

The second stage of integration of the payment systems of Russia and Iran has been completed, now Russian citizens can make purchases on the territory of the Islamic Republic using the Mir card. This was announced on May 13 by the Iranian Central Bank (CB).

"At this stage, mobile payments (based on NFC) are being made in Iran from Russian bank cards that meet international standards," the ISNA news agency quoted the Central Bank of Iran as saying.

It is specified that Russians can now pay for purchases at specific retail outlets using Android phones, and Russian cardholders can make small transactions at Shaparak terminals. For large transactions, a PIN code is required, the Central Bank of Iran noted.

First of all, this technology was introduced into the main tourist centers of the country, which are popular with Russian citizens.

A solemn ceremony to complete the second stage of integration was held in Tehran, attended by the head of the Central Bank of Iran, Mohammad Reza Farzin. During his speech, he expressed gratitude to the Chairman of the Bank of Russia, Elvira Nabiullina, and colleagues from the Russian Federation for their cooperation.

On January 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the almost complete transition of the Russian Federation and Iran to settlements in national currencies and work on the integration of payment systems. According to him, the share of transactions in Russian rubles and Iranian rials in 2024 exceeded 95% of all bilateral trade transactions.