Political Influence of Hamster Kombat in Iran

Iranian authorities said that the popular blockchain game Hamster Kombat is being used by Western states as a “soft power” tool to influence the country’s population. The deputy commander of the Iranian armed forces, Habibollah Sayyari, claims that the game is aimed at distracting voters from the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for June 28.

Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi went even further in his statements, claiming that the entire crypto industry is mired in fraud. These accusations came against the backdrop of a difficult economic situation in Iran caused by international sanctions. This year, inflation in the country is expected to reach 30%, which will seriously depreciate the national currency, the Iranian rial.

Amid economic difficulties, the popularity of digital assets is growing. Blockchain games with money-making features such as Hamster Kombat are becoming an important source of income for Iranians. The popularity of this game is due not only to economic realities, but also to the possibility of making money in an inflationary environment.

Hamster Kombat, available on the Telegram messenger, offers users the opportunity to earn up to 5 million Hamster Kombat tokens (HMSTR) excluding combo bonuses, which can reach an additional 5 million coins. According to forecasts from Techopedia, after the start of trading, the rate of this cryptocurrency will be at least $0.01. Thus, players can theoretically earn up to $50,000 in seven days, making the game attractive to many Iranians.

The situation around Hamster Kombat demonstrates how digital technologies and blockchain games can influence socio-political processes in countries with unstable economies. In an environment of high inflation and economic sanctions, such games have become an important element of the financial strategy for many citizens, which has raised concerns among authorities and led to accusations that these technologies are being used for political influence.