France has officially attributed recent "unprecedented" cyberattacks targeting supermarket refrigerators to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), announcing plans for European-level sanctions against Tehran.
The cyberattacks, which occurred on October 11 and 12, significantly impacted French supermarkets by disrupting refrigeration systems. In some instances, the malfunction necessitated the disposal of entire inventories of perishable goods. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated, "I can confirm that this attack was carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of the Islamic Republic of Iran." He further described the incident as "unprecedented in both its scale and its level of aggression," characterizing it as the first large-scale cyberattack aimed at sabotage on French territory and a major threat to national interests and security.
In response to the cyber offensive, Minister Barrot declared, "We will implement sanctions at the European level against all those responsible." While France identified attacks on approximately 700 supermarket sites within its borders, similar incidents have been reported in other European nations. Notably, on November 2, grocery stores across at least nine other European countries experienced suspected cyberattacks on their freezer systems.
The Paris prosecutor's office has initiated a judicial investigation into an Iranian cyber unit affiliated with the IRGC, identified as Shahid Kaveh. The investigation targets the head of this unit, his two deputies, and any other individuals who may be implicated. The IRGC, described as the Islamic Republic's ideological army with a significant branch dedicated to cyberwarfare, is the focus of this probe.
France has summoned the Iranian ambassador to Paris to formally register a strong protest regarding the incident. Minister Barrot indicated that France would pursue "any other necessary and proportionate measures -- whether public or otherwise -- to respond to this incident and deter anyone who might seek to repeat it." European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas commented on the matter, stating, "our response should be strong," after learning of Iran's alleged involvement.
