Sixty Percent Of Iran's Gas Stations Down After Cyber Attack

The cyberattack responsible for crippling gas stations across Iran on Monday was claimed by the hacking group "Gonjeshk-e-Darande" or Predatory Sparrow. The group, previously accused by Iran of having links to Israel, announced the attack on X, stating that they took out "a majority of the gas pumps throughout Iran." 

In statements in both Persian and English, the hacking group declared that the "cyberattack comes in response to the aggression of the Islamic Republic and its proxies in the region." They further warned, "We will impose a cost for your provocations. This is just a taste of what we have in store."

The ongoing disruption follows a commitment made by Javad Owji, the Minister of Oil, who assured on Monday that "within 2-3 hours, all stations in the country will be manually active."

On October 26, 2021, another widespread cyberattack affected all 4,300 fuel stations in Iran. Despite initial assurances of a one-day resolution, it took an additional three days for all stations to return to the online system.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Oil dismissed any connection between the disruption and changes in gasoline prices. Salarinasab emphasized, "The news related to an increase in gasoline prices is a rumor."

The disruption in Iran's fuel distribution network comes just a month after an official claimed on television that the "smart fueling system" is "completely independent" and "not susceptible to hacking or disruption."