US: NATO members will decide on using Article 5 against Iran

The White House says that members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will decide whether to use Article 5 of the NATO treaty against Iran. Article 5 of the treaty deals with collective action against threats.

White House spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday, September 6, in response to a question about whether there was a possibility of using Article 5 of the NATO treaty against Iran after the Islamic Republic's cyberattacks on Albania, which led to Tirana cutting diplomatic relations with Tehran, that the issue required "multiple processes."

He added that the decision of NATO member states to invoke this article and take collective action against Iran will be up to each member state.

Article 5 of the NATO Treaty states: "The Parties to this Treaty agree that an armed attack against one or more of their Member States in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all."

Under this article, if a member of the alliance is attacked, NATO must take "necessary action, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area."

The use of this article is likely because Albania has been a NATO member since 2009.

The United States also warned of "further actions" against the Islamic Republic and condemned what it called an "unprecedented" cyberattack against Albania, an American ally.

Amid global reactions, National Security Council spokesman Adrian Watson said in a statement that Iran must be “accountable” for the cyberattack that resulted in “paralyzing public services and hacking of data and electronic communications in government systems” in Albania.

According to him, "The United States will take further steps to hold Iran accountable for its actions that threaten the security of our allies and disrupt cyberspace."

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has accused Iran of carrying out a July 15 cyberattack against Albanian institutions that resulted in "paralyzing public services and hacking data and electronic communications from government systems."

In response to this action, which also drew international condemnation, Albania severed diplomatic relations with Iran.

These events are occurring at a time when the United States and European powers are trying to save the JCPOA agreement.

Despite widespread global criticism, Iran's Foreign Ministry rejected the accusation of cyberattacks on Albania, calling them "baseless claims" and calling the country's decision to sever ties with Tehran "an ill-considered and short-sighted move in international relations."

Relations between Albania and Iran have been strained for years due to Tirana's hosting of the People's Mojahedin Organization (PMOI).

After the establishment of members and supporters of this group in Iraq for several years after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime, the organization's forces were transferred to Albania based on an agreement between the United States and the Iraqi government.

Source: Radio Farda