An administration official told the Wall Street Journal that “U.S. officials were among many who were targeted” and said authorities are investigating the possibility the attacks are connected to the recent arrest of Siamak Namazi, an Iranian-American businessman who promoted ties between the two countries. They have been known for routinely hacking American government agencies for years. A few of the officials hacked include those employees of the State Department’s Office of Iranian Affairs and its Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.
Advertisement
The publication cites anonymous USA officials who revealed a surge in hacking activity by the powerful Iranian Revolutionary Guard is related to a recent arrest of an Iranian-American businessman by the Revolutionary Guard in Tehran, Iran. While any link to the Namazi arrest was still under investigation, “US officials believe a few of the more recent attacks may be linked to reports of detained dual citizens and others”, the official said. Academics and journalists linked to Iranian issues were also targeted. Both sides engage in cyberattacks with the highly publicized incident wherein a USB-drive carrying the Stuxnet malware was planted by the U.S.to disrupt Iran’s nuclear installations.
An Obama administration official said that the USA continues to probe a possible connection to the arrest of Namazi.
Namazi is the latest American or dual-citizen American-Iranian to be held by Iran on charges of espionage that Western governments have viewed as fraudulent claims meant to justify security crackdowns against advocates of normalization.
Namazi’s friends and business associates said Revolutionary Guards confiscated his computer after ransacking his family’s home in Tehran, the Journal reported.
The others are Amir Hekmati, a former US Marine who was charged with spying, and Saeed Abedini, a convert to Christianity who gathered a Bible study group.
So much for turning over a new leaf with Iran.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, hundreds took to Tehran streets yesterday in celebration of the Iranian hostage crisis anniversary and repeatedly chanted, “Death to America!” The recent wave of attacks comes shortly after the Obama administration oversaw a nuclear disarmament agreement with Iran in July.
