France Plans to Impose Sanctions on Iran in Response to Cyberattacks

Paris -- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced on Tuesday that his country intends to impose sanctions against Iran in response to cyberattacks that targeted the cooling systems of hundreds of department stores last October, as part of allegations that Tehran was behind the attacks. In an interview with the France Info television channel, Minister Barrot said that France had summoned the Iranian ambassador to lodge a “strongly worded” formal protest, and that it would work to push for the imposition of European-level sanctions against Iran. He added, “I can also assure you that we are not ruling out any option. We will take all appropriate and necessary measures, including those that we may not disclose to the public, in order to deter any further attacks in the future.” Barrot clarified that the aim of these measures is “to deter anyone who might consider repeating such attacks, whether in Iran or elsewhere.” Yesterday, French Foreign Minister Barrot stated that “the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is responsible for the cyberattacks on the department stores, marking the first large-scale sabotage of its kind on French soil.” (End) M.B. / F.S.