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Iran denies French claim IRGC hacked supermarket refrigeration
Iran’s Foreign Ministry rejected as baseless France’s accusation that the IRGC ran last month’s supermarket fridge hacks, after Paris summoned Tehran’s ambassador, BBC, Al Jazeera and DW reported.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday rejected French accusations that Tehran was behind last month’s cyberattacks on supermarket refrigeration systems, as Paris summoned Iran’s ambassador, BBC, Al Jazeera and Deutsche Welle reported1,2,3.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Monday that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps carried out attacks on Oct. 11 and 12 that remotely forced supermarket cold units into abnormal defrost cycles2,4.
Barrot described the episode as the first large-scale sabotage-style cyberattack on French territory and said those responsible would face sanctions, including at the European Union level1,2.
Iran’s ministry called the claims baseless and one-sided and condemned what it termed a repeated policy of accusations, according to Al Jazeera and DW2,3.
BBC said more than 100 Coopérative U stores and about 180 Intermarché and Netto sites were among those hit, with some fridge temperatures reported as high as 50C (122F) overnight1.
Al Jazeera said French groups including E.Leclerc, Intermarché, Carrefour, Monoprix and Coopérative U discarded perishable stock, with retailers putting losses in the millions of euros; some cases were said to have sparked fires or damaged equipment2.
BBC reported that the attackers used remote-management software from Danish firm Danfoss1.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau opened an investigation into Shahid Kaveh, described as an IRGC-linked cyber unit, and sought international arrest warrants for two officials, Al Jazeera said2,5.
France said it summoned Iran’s ambassador to protest and would take measures it may not disclose, while the EU said it would discuss a united response, DW reported2,3.
BBC and DW said similar refrigeration incidents later hit other European sites, including a reported failed attempt on French blood-bank cooling; neither outlet established that those events were connected to the October supermarket case1,3.
What independent technical evidence France holds, and whether Tehran will face EU sanctions, had not been publicly detailed in the reports1,2,3.
Sources
- BBCIran rejects French claims it was behind supermarket fridge hacking
- Al JazeeraFrance summons Iran's ambassador over supermarket fridge ‘sabotage'
- DWIran denies role in fridge hack, France summons ambassador
- Al JazeeraFrance accuses Iran of cyberattack on supermarket fridges
- Al JazeeraWhat is Shahid Kaveh, the Iran cyberunit tied to France’s fridge hacking?
How it’s being reported
3 sourcesIran rejects French claims it was behind supermarket fridge hacking
Iran’s denial, French sanctions threat and the October Danfoss software breach
BBC reports Iran called French accusations over supermarket fridge hacks baseless after Paris blamed the IRGC. BBC News
Leaves out EU comment and G7 meeting detail later in DW
France accuses Iran of cyberattack on supermarket fridges
Monday attribution of the hacks to Iran’s IRGC
Earlier Al Jazeera report that Barrot attributed the supermarket attacks to the IRGC.
Leaves out Tuesday Iranian ministry statement
Same copy also at: Al Jazeera · Al Jazeera
Iran denies role in fridge hack, France summons ambassador
French response options, EU statement and later incidents including blood-bank cooling
DW reports Iran’s categorical denial as France said it ruled nothing out and sought EU measures.
Leaves out Named supermarket counts in BBC