Paris has accused Tehran of cyberattacks that sabotaged supermarket refrigerators, spoiled food and caused fires. The French government will seek new EU sanctions against those it holds responsible, after attacks targeted around 700 commercial sites.
The investigators identified Shahid Kaveh, a cyber unit linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, as responsible. In the Monday’s statement, French Foreign Ministry described the attacks as “unjustifiable, inexcusable and contrary to international law”. The government said it would summon Iran’s ambassador and propose sanctions against Iranian individuals and organisations involved.
These destructive cyberattacks are unjustifiable, inexcusable and contrary to international law. — French Foreign Ministry
Prosecutors have requested international arrest warrants for several members of the group. French investigators cited links to the attackers’ digital infrastructure, distinctive tools and traces of Persian among the evidence supporting their attribution.
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From spoiled food to blood banks
Hackers raised refrigeration settings to dangerously high temperatures during the night of 11–12 October, according to France’s cybersecurity agency ANSSI. At least 15 fires broke out, and French authorities estimate food losses at tens of millions of euros. Food-processing businesses and small hydroelectric installations were also affected.
As EU Perspectives reported on 3 November, refrigeration incidents had spread to ten European countries, prompting Brussels to coordinate a response with national authorities, Europol and the EU cybersecurity agency. The Commission declined to name a suspect at the time. The November wave also affected refrigerators used by French blood banks, forcing staff to move supplies into other cold storage.
Iran’s UN mission did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment; Tehran routinely denies malicious cyber operations. France’s attribution now puts the proposed response before its European partners. New EU sanctions have yet to be agreed.
