Nationwide Disruption Following Cyber Attacks on Gas Stations; 'Predatory Sparrow' Claims Responsibility

As many users reported the closure of a significant number of fuel supply stations due to 'hacking' before noon today, a hacking group has claimed responsibility. The Iranian Ministry of Oil referred to it as a 'disruption,' while the state broadcaster mentioned the possibility of 'external sabotage.' Following the hacking of the national fuel distribution system, nearly 70% of the country's petroleum distribution stations went offline, causing disruptions in daily life. In this context, Ebrahim Raisi ordered the immediate resolution of the disruption, and the police's information channel reported a similar problem for Bank Mellat. Despite the disruption in the fuel distribution network, the spokesperson for fuel station owners stated that 'there is absolutely no shortage of gasoline and diesel, and no price increase is on the agenda; this disruption is a technical issue.' The Ministry of Oil also announced that the disruption at gasoline stations is not related to any change in gasoline prices. The Islamic Republic's news network reported the possibility of 'external sabotage' causing the disruption at the country's fuel stations. The extent of the disruption was significant enough to warrant a meeting with 'high-ranking officials,' and part of the issue was resolved by reverting to 'manual distribution.' According to Tasnim news agency, with the cooperation of contractors, fuel station owners, and the public sector, refueling is currently possible 'in a limited manner' offline at 'free prices,' and there is currently no news of subsidized gasoline. As the gasoline supply crisis intensified, state media prepared reports to normalize the refueling conditions in various cities, including Kish Island. Ebrahim Raisi also instructed the Minister of Oil to take appropriate measures for the 'immediate resolution' of the disruption at gas stations. Accordingly, the Minister of Oil conducted field visits to fuel stations and stated, 'Gas stations were subjected to a cyber attack.' Meanwhile, Javad Owji, the Minister of Oil, promised that 'it is expected that by 3 PM, all fuel stations in all provinces will be back online manually,' but similar past promises had not been fulfilled, and disarray in fuel supply lasted for 72 hours at some stations. The responsibility for this cyber attack was claimed by a hacking group known as 'Predatory Sparrow,' and following this announcement, the country's Passive Defense Organization stated, 'The Passive Defense Organization is considering all possible options, including infiltration and hacking, but currently cannot confirm the claims made by the enemy.' Jalil Salari, Deputy Minister of Oil, also mentioned in an interview shortly after the crisis that 'today we faced a challenge with the card readers at some fuel stations across the country, which according to our follow-ups included 60% of the stations.' The issue with the card readers seems to be related to the announcement from the police's information channel, which also stated that 'Bank Mellat's systems experienced disruptions this morning and are currently using backup systems.' 'Predatory Sparrow' claimed responsibility for the attack. According to the Times of Israel, a hacking group previously linked to Israel claims to have paralyzed gas stations across Iran in a cyber attack. The group, known as 'Predatory Sparrow,' stated that 'it has disabled the majority of gas stations across Iran.' In a statement published on their X account in both Persian and English, they wrote, 'This cyber attack is in response to the aggressions of the Islamic Republic and its proxies in the region. Khamenei is playing with fire.' On November 25, 2021, a similar cyber attack targeted the fuel card system and gas stations across the country, leading to widespread disruptions in vehicle fuel supply. One day after that cyber attack, 'Voice of America' received an email stating that a group called 'Predatory Sparrow' not only accepted responsibility for the November 25 attack but also took responsibility for previous cyber attacks on the railway company and the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development. 'Predatory Sparrow' had previously claimed cyber attacks on major steel companies in Iran. The Times of Israel reported that at that time, Israeli military journalists indicated that Israel was behind this hack. This incident occurs as Iranian government-backed proxy forces like Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen have increased their attacks against Israel following the war with Hamas.