Bitcoin and Iran (also North Korea, etc.)

[hahahafr]

Hello,
2 quick points on Bitcoin (as a network of exchanging money):

Security: We know the Bitcoin network is secure for now, and I believe it will stay so, I trust Gavin more than anything on this subject (being an early adopter has to be a good motivation to always have security as priority #1, and this is good).

Usability and Philosophy: I believe in Bitcoin, and so do we all here (almost), it is our duty to somehow make something out of it. People will eventually see the use in the Bitcoin as we see it, it's just a matter of time. I just happen to have one problem with that: The "official" embargo the Bitcoin "officials" (read important persons here) have imposed against Iran, just like US dollars. What the fuck is that? Why wasn't there an uproar against that? This is part exactly why bitcoin was created, this is the roots of the idea of Bitcoin, and yet people do the same things all over again. If Bitcoin can't be used in Iran because of the MIT licence of the source code of the original client, then people we have a much bigger issue than the network security to address.

[Kluge]

A) It would be illegal. Gavin & associates probably don't want Zimmerman-style criminal investigations and rectal probing (with a chance of detainment) each time they take a flight.
B) It's a non-issue. Iranians just need to download the Bitcoin client from a mirror or download through VPN or Tor.

The law's ineffective, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be dumb as Hell for public figures to violate the law as publicly as possible.

[koin]

The "official" embargo the Bitcoin "officials" (read important persons here) have imposed against Iran, just like US dollars.

how so?

bitcoin is a protocol.  there is nothing in the protocol that limits access to any geographic area, political or religious affiliation, or financial status.

the source code repository for the bitcoin.org client is github and that has no access restrictions, right?

[matonis]

As a temporary workaround, http://files.btcmirror.is/ now exists.

SourceForge is responsible for coordinating the blocking. Here's the link: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=117457.0