Iran warns against provocative moves based on unfounded claims

New York, IRNA – Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations has written a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, warning against any provocative act based on groundless anti-Iran accusations. Referring to the claims made by Albania, Amir Saeed Iravani underlined in the letter that based on fake and unfounded claims, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been accused of conducting a cyberattack while Tehran has been a target of such attacks in several occasions. The permanent representative sent a copy of the letter to the chairman of the UN Security Council, underlining that the Islamic Republic rules out any involvement in the cyberattack on Albania’s infrastructure categorically and condemns these sorts of acts and that the anti-Iran accusations are completely baseless. Such unfounded and fake claims have their roots in spurious hypotheses to pursue political agendas, the top diplomat said, noting that Iran warns other states about the possible cyberattacks based on fake identities to attribute the attacks to certain countries because of the technical nature of the cyberspace provides such a possibility. The Islamic Republic of Iran underlined once more that cyberspace and its related technologies should be used merely for peaceful purposes and governments should cooperate with each other and take actions, while respecting international regulations, the ambassador emphasized, adding that Iran maintains such an attitude in international cyberspace, which is normal and responsible behavior during peace period. The Islamic Republic has been one of the main targets of cyberattacks for a long time, he said, noting that Stuxnet and Duqu cyberattacks on peaceful Iranian nuclear facilities as well as recent cyberattacks on petrochemical and steel industries of the country are among the cases that Iran experienced such strikes and that the Zionist regime has repeatedly admitted that it was involved in such anti-Iran attacks, which were supported by the United States. It is possible that the terrorist group, named MKO, might conduct the cyberattack on Albania in order to put the blame on Iran, the representative said, arguing that the terrorist group, which is aided and abetted by the Zionist regime, is able to carry out cyberattacks on some countries because it has implemented terrorist cyberattacks on Iranian infrastructures in several occasions. The Islamic Republic warns against any kind of provocative and unjustified actions under the pretext of unfounded claims, adding that Tehran reserves its right to react to any threats, attacks, or illegal action against its crucial and civilian infrastructures, he cautioned. Iravani further described the Albanian police forces’ raid into Iran’s diplomatic mission in Tirana as a blatant violation of international commitments, noting that such an incursion is in contradiction to the diplomatic immunity principle and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which should be observed by all countries. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish