Tehran: Amid tensions with Israel, there was a major cyber attack on Iran on Saturday, in which its nuclear plants were also targeted. The cyber attack has affected all three branches of the Iranian government. This attack has taken place at a time when Israel has vowed to give a befitting reply to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on October 1. According to Iran International report, Firozabadi, former secretary of the country’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace, has confirmed these attacks.
Attack on all three branches of government
The report quoted Firozabadi as saying that ‘almost all three branches of Iran’s government – the judiciary, the legislature and the executive branch – have been hit by a massive cyber attack. Their information has been stolen. He further said, ‘Our nuclear plants have also been targeted by cyber attacks. Also, fuel distribution, city network, transportation network, port network and other similar networks have been targeted.
Various areas of the country were targeted
According to reports, various areas across the country have been targeted in cyber attacks. The attack comes at a time when the US has imposed new sanctions on Israel’s oil and petrochemicals sectors in the wake of the ballistic missile attack by Iran against Israel on October 1. According to a statement released by the State Department, the department is ‘imposing sanctions on six entities engaged in Iranian petroleum trading and designating six vessels as ‘blocked property”.
According to the department, they have knowingly been a part of a significant transaction for the purchase, acquisition, sale, transportation or marketing of petroleum or petroleum products from Iran. The statement said the Treasury Department ‘has made a decision that sanctions will also be imposed against individuals determined to work in the petroleum or petrochemical sectors of the Iranian economy,’ Xinhua news agency reported.
Ban on 10 institutions
“Additionally, Treasury is imposing sanctions on 10 entities and identifying 17 vessels as blocked assets because they are involved in the shipment of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products,” the statement said. The Treasury Department believes today’s sanctions are aimed at preventing Iran from diverting revenues from its energy industry to finance dangerous and destructive activities.
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in a statement that the decision would “prevent Iran from curbing its missile programs and providing any further support to terrorists.” Terrorist groups that threaten or work against America’s friendly countries.