New Generation Iranian National ID Card Designed With AI and Blockchain; Rollout Set for Spring 2027

Mohammad Jamalou, head of Iran's National Organization for Civil Registration, said in an interview published by ISNA on Sunday, September 13, 2026 (22 Shahrivar 1405), that a new generation of national ID cards using artificial intelligence and blockchain technology has been designed. He said distribution will begin in spring 1406 (starting March 2027) and that the plan is currently in preparation.

According to Jamalou, the new design replaces the card's current chip with a QR code, online authentication will be done via SMS verification codes, and citizens' data will only be shared after their explicit consent. He also pledged that issuance and delivery times would fall to under 20 working days, and that a backlog of roughly six million people currently waiting for national ID cards would be cleared by the end of autumn.

The civil registry chief did not provide technical specifics, such as which AI model or blockchain network the plan will use, and the organization has not yet published detailed official documentation on these technologies.