France Accuses Iran of Cyberattack on 700 Stores, Seeks EU Sanctions

France has accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of orchestrating a major cyberattack that targeted refrigeration systems in approximately 700 stores across the country last month. The attack reportedly caused large quantities of fresh and frozen food to spoil and, in some cases, resulted in refrigeration equipment catching fire.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot addressed the incident on Monday, describing it as unprecedented in both scale and severity. According to Barrot, it marked the first time a large-scale cyberattack had been carried out on French soil with the deliberate intention of causing physical damage.

“This was an attack of unprecedented scale and unprecedented aggression,” Barrot told reporters, adding that the incident constituted “a serious attack on the interests of the nation and the security of the French people.”

Following the findings, Barrot announced that Paris would seek to impose sanctions on Iran through the European Union. The Iranian ambassador to France was also summoned in response to the allegations.

Hackers Manipulated Supermarket Refrigeration Systems

According to French television network BFMTV, a CNN affiliate, the attack occurred in October, when hackers reportedly gained remote access to refrigerators and freezers in supermarkets across France. Once inside the systems, the attackers allegedly activated defrosting mechanisms and raised the temperatures of refrigeration units, causing significant quantities of food to spoil.

In several stores, the damage extended beyond the loss of food products, with certain refrigeration units reportedly catching fire as a result of the attackers’ actions.

French Prosecutors Link Cyberattack to Iran

The Paris prosecutor’s office, which is overseeing the investigation, issued a statement on Monday attributing the cyberattack to Iran. Among the findings cited by investigators were “the use of the Persian language and IP addresses pointing to devices located in Iran.”

French authorities presented these findings as evidence linking the attack to Iranian actors, although the allegations have not been independently verified. Tehran did not immediately respond to the accusations.

France is now pursuing a diplomatic response through European channels, seeking sanctions against Iran after describing the incident as a significant threat to the security of its citizens and its national interests.