US sanctions Iran Intelligence Ministry, Minister

“Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is designating Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) and its Minister of Intelligence for engaging in cyber-enabled activities against the United States and its allies,” the US claimed.

“Iran’s cyber attack against Albania disregards norms of responsible peacetime State behavior in cyberspace, which includes a norm on refraining from damaging critical infrastructure that provides services to the public,” the US Department of the Treasury quoted Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson as saying.

Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Albania for cutting diplomatic ties with the Islamic Republic and called the anti-Iran allegations leveled by the southeastern European country unfounded.

The statement said that Iran, as a country whose infrastructures have been subjected to cyberattacks, rejects and condemns the use of such attacks against other countries.   

It also said that the measures taken by third parties in bringing the allegations against Iran show that the countries that back terrorism and create sedition have exerted their influence in this regard.

The statement referred to organized political and media reactions made immediately after Albania’s decision, saying that a US statement released shortly after Tirana’s move and Zionist media welcoming the findings show that there has been a deliberate plan aimed at creating a political atmosphere against the Islamic Republic.