France accuses Iran of cyberattacks on cooling systems at over 700 retail outlets

Large-scale cyber sabotage of retail infrastructure

French authorities have officially accused Iran of carrying out a large-scale cyberattack targeting the cooling systems of over 700 retail outlets. This is stated in an official statement by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Paris condemned these actions and announced its intention to propose to the European Union the introduction of a new package of sanctions against individuals and organisations involved in the malicious activities.

Consequences of the attack and damage assessment

The incident occurred on the night of 11 to 12 October. The attackers interfered with the operation of cooling equipment control devices in supermarket chains. The consequences included fires, significant spoilage of food products, and material damages estimated at tens of millions of euros.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasised the uniqueness of this event: «Ця кампанія безпрецедентна за масштабом і рівнем агресивності. Це перша наступальна кібероперація на території Франції, здійснена винятково з метою саботажу» (This campaign is unprecedented in scale and level of aggression. This is the first offensive cyber operation on French territory carried out solely for the purpose of sabotage).

Identification of perpetrators and government reaction

According to French intelligence services, the attack was carried out by the Shahid Kaveh unit, which has links to the Electronic and Cyber Operations Centre of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In Paris, this group is regarded as a persistent threat to the country's critical infrastructure.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barro reported that the Iranian ambassador had already been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry stressed that Tehran's actions violate international law and the norms of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, which Iran itself had previously supported.

Judicial investigation and international warrants

In addition to diplomatic pressure, the Paris prosecutor's office has opened a judicial investigation. The investigation targets the head of the Shahid Kaveh unit and two of his deputies. The prosecutor's office has requested the issuance of international arrest warrants for these individuals.

French services also published a joint report dedicated to cyberattacks by groups linked to the IRGC against French targets.

Context of previous incidents

The statement from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled a series of previous incidents: a cyberattack on the weekly Charlie Hebdo in 2023 and interference with advertising display systems during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. In March 2026, the European Union had already imposed sanctions on the Iranian company Emennet Pasargad, which was linked to these malicious activities.