All 4,300 gas stations were disrupted in a cyberattack

The secretary of Iran's Supreme Cyberspace Council says all gas stations were targeted in the cyberattack. The origin of the attacks has not been officially announced. Officials are concerned about a repeat of the November 2009 protests and insist that gasoline prices will not increase.

Abolhassan Firouzabadi, Secretary of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace of Iran, announced on Tuesday night, November 24, in a special talk show on Sima Channel 2, that the disruption in the systems of 4,300 gas stations in the country was caused by a widespread cyber attack.

According to him, cyberspace experts are investigating these attacks and a final opinion will be announced within the next 7 or 10 days.

Firouzabadi did not make any specific statements about the origin of these cyber attacks, but suggested that this attack, like the cyber attack on the Islamic Republic's railway systems, was carried out from outside the country.

On social media, a hacking group called "Predatory Sparrow" has claimed responsibility for this attack.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme Cyberspace Council emphasized that cyberattacks on all gas stations have caused many problems and not all fuel stations have returned to normal yet.

“The stock of 27 million fuel cards has not been cleared”

Masoud Rezaei, director of the smart system at the National Iranian Petroleum Products Distribution Company, announced that 27 million active fuel cards are in the hands of the people, and the gasoline balance in the fuel cards in the hands of the people has not been erased, and there is no problem in this regard.

The oil company official said that 60 percent of fuel stations have been restored in many provinces.

The government's concern about the repetition of the November 2009 protests

In the cyberattack on the Iranian Broadcasting System's smart fuel system, the Iranian Broadcasting Corporation interrupted its programs and broadcast breaking news, covering the issue as the first news item in various news sections.

Officials regularly explained to the public that gasoline would not become more expensive.

The incident in November has also brought back memories of the protests two years ago against the increase in gasoline prices.

After five weeks of these protests, the Reuters news agency reported in an exclusive report, citing Iranian officials, that about 1,500 people had been killed in the protests in Iran.

At the time, the news agency quoted three sources close to the leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran as saying that the severe suppression of the protests was carried out on Khamenei's orders.

Concerns about people gathering at gas stations

The “Economic News” website wrote in this regard: “The occurrence of this incident revived an old concern among the people: Will gasoline become more expensive? A question that ultimately brought the Minister of Interior into the field to react quickly.”

Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi immediately announced to allay people's concerns: "There is no plan to increase the price of gasoline and people should not worry."

On the other hand, there are concerns about gatherings at gas stations and “the emergence of spontaneous protests.” Some officials have urged people not to visit fuel stations.

A spokesman for the National Petroleum Products Distribution Company also said: "There is no plan to increase the price of gasoline, and our request is that people not visit gas stations until the technical problem at some fuel supply stations in the country is resolved."

Source: DW