ALBANIA BREAKS OFF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH IRAN DUE TO CYBERATTACK

  • 07/09/2022

Iranian embassy personnel have been told to leave, and Albania has severed diplomatic ties with Iran after accusing it of planning a significant cyberattack.

The investigation, according to Prime Minister Edi Rama, "found indisputable evidence" that Iran "hired four groups to mount the attack on Albania" on July 15.

According to him, the hackers also attempted to cause chaos, shut down government operations, and steal and destroy data.

Albania's response, according to Mr. Rama, was "extreme but entirely forced on us."

The United States vowed to hold Iran responsible for actions that threatened Albania's security and "set a troubling precedent for cyber-space" and strongly condemned the cyberattack on a Nato ally. 

There was no immediate comment from the Iranian government. But relations between Tirana and Tehran have been tense since Albania offered asylum to thousands of Iranian dissidents nine years ago.

Mr Rama said the goal of the hacking groups had been "the destruction of the digital infrastructure of the government of the Republic of Albania, as well as the theft of data and electronic communications of governments systems".

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