TEHRAN: Iran on Saturday strongly condemned a US decision to impose sanctions on its intelligence ministry, blamed for a major cyberattack on NATO ally Albania.
Albania severed diplomatic ties with Iran on Wednesday after accusing it of the July 15 cyberattack that sought, but failed, to paralyze public services and access data and government communications systems.
In response on Friday, the United States slapped sanctions on Iran’s intelligence ministry and its minister Esmail Khatib, saying the attack “disregards norms of responsible peacetime state behavior in cyberspace.”
On Saturday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said: “The ministry of foreign affairs strongly condemns the action of the US treasury department in repeatedly sanctioning the ministry of intelligence of the Islamic republic.
“America’s immediate support for the false accusation of the Albanian government... shows that the designer of this scenario is not the latter, but the American government,” he added in a statement.
Kanani accused the US of “giving full support to a terrorist sect,” referring to the opposition People’s Mujahedeen of Iran, or Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK), members of which are hosted by Albania.
Albania agreed in 2013 to take in members of the MEK from Iraq at the request of Washington and the United Nations, with thousands settling in the Balkan country over the years.
“This criminal organization continues to play a role as one of America’s tools in perpetrating terrorist acts, cyberattacks” against Iran, the statement added.
The MEK backed Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in the 1979 revolution that ousted the shah but rapidly fell out with the new Islamic authorities and embarked on a campaign to overthrow the regime.
The MEK then sided with Iraq under Saddam Hussein in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.
Iran strongly condemns US sanctions over Albania hacking
https://arab.news/67hzw
Iran strongly condemns US sanctions over Albania hacking
- Albania severed diplomatic ties with Iran on Wednesday after accusing it of the July 15 cyberattack
- ‘… the designer of this scenario is not [Albania], but the American government’
Iraq PM candidate Al-Maliki meets senior US diplomat
- Last month President Donald Trump intervened in Iraq’s affairs by issuing an ultimatum that if Al-Maliki — a two-time former premier with close ties to Iran — was named Iraq’s next prime minister, the US would no longer help the country
BAGHDAD: The leading candidate to become Iraq’s next prime minister, Nouri Al-Maliki, met with US diplomat Tom Barrack on Friday after refusing to withdraw his nomination despite the US threatening to stop supporting the country if he returns to the post.
Barrack, the US envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkiye, has recently visited Iraq multiple times to meet with senior officials.
Maliki’s media office said in a short statement that the PM candidate stressed during the meeting “the need to respect Iraq’s sovereignty and the will of its people.”
He also spoke of the “importance of supporting the democratic process and strengthening political stability” in Iraq.
It wasn’t clear what message Barrack conveyed to Maliki.
Last month President Donald Trump intervened in Iraq’s affairs by issuing an ultimatum that if Al-Maliki — a two-time former premier with close ties to Iran — was named Iraq’s next prime minister, the US would no longer help the country.
Trump’s threat left Iraqi leaders at a loss, particularly within the Coordination Framework — a ruling alliance of Shiite groups with varying degrees of links to Iran that nominated Maliki.
Earlier this week, Al-Maliki told AFP he would not withdraw his nomination, while also seeking to allay Washington’s concerns.
“I have absolutely no intention of withdrawing out of respect for my country, its sovereignty, and its will,” Al-Maliki told AFP in an interview.
