Iranian Minister Admits Gasoline Pom Network Was Hit By Cyber Attacks And Had Caused National Disturbance

Illustration of vehicle queues at Iranian gas stations. (Wikimedia Commons/Fars Media Corporation/Mohsen▁dunia Hosseini)

JAKARTA - Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji on Monday confirmed that the national disruption that had occurred to the country's gas station network was caused by a cyberattack.

A hacker group accused Iran of links to Israel claimed they carried out the attack that caused the disturbance, reports Iranian state TV and local Israeli media.

Menteri Owji mengatakan kepada TV Pemerintah Iran, sekitar 70 persen layanan pom gas Iran mengalami gangguan dengan kemungkinan penyebabnya adalah campur tangan pihak luar, seperti dikutip dari Reuters 18 Desember.

He later said about 1,650 gas stations had resumed operations, with the ministry overseeing 3,800 gas stations.

The disruption on Monday began early and was very acute in Tehran, forcing many gas stations to operate manually, Iranian media reported.

Reza Navar, spokesman for Iran's gas station association, told Fars' semi-official news agency there was no shortage of fuel supply but asked drivers not to go to gas stations.

"The issue of the software on the fuel system has been confirmed at several stations across the country and experts are currently fixing the issue," Navar said.

Iranian state TV news said a group called Gonjeshke Darande or "Predatory Sparrow" claimed they were behind the disturbance, Israeli media reported.

"This cyberattack was carried out in a controlled manner to avoid potential damage to emergency services," the group said in a statement on Telegram.

The digital attack is a response to Iranian aggression and its proxies in the region, he added.

The Ministry of Oil previously told state TV the disturbance was not related to plans to increase fuel prices.

Government TV said gas stations are trying to provide fuel manually, adding more than 50 percent of gas stations provide services and trials to make fuel back online on the way.

Meanwhile, Iran's civil defense agency, which is in charge of cybersecurity, said it was still considering all possible causes of the disturbance during an investigation.

Iranian state media also said the hacker group in the past claimed to have carried out cyber attacks on Iranian gas stations, rail networks and steel factories.

Last year, Predatory Sparrow posted a video showing an explosion inside a steel mill that was said to have been caused by hacking.

Previously, a massive cyberattack in Iran in 2021 also disrupted fuel sales, causing long lines at stations across the country whose fuel prices were heavily subsidized. Iran at the time said Israel and the United States were most likely the perpetrators behind the attack.

Separately, when asked about the cyberattack, Israeli government spokesman Talmen said at a news conference on Monday: "We cannot say anything about Iran's claims."