Iran 'repelled large cyberattack' on Sunday
"One of the most widespread and complex cyberattacks against the country's infrastructure was identified and preventive measures were taken," Behzad Akbari said on Monday, according to semi-official Tasnim news agency, without giving more detail.
Tehran and Washington concluded a third round of nuclear talks on Saturday in Oman, on the same day Iran's biggest port of Bandar Abbas was rocked by a large explosion whose cause remains unknown.
Chemicals at the port were suspected to have fuelled the explosion, but the exact cause was not clear and Iran's defence ministry denied international media reports that the blast may be linked to the mishandling of solid fuel used for missiles.
Iran has in the past accused its arch-foe Israel of being behind cyberattacks. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday Iran's nuclear infrastructure should be entirely dismantled — not just limited to prevent the development of nuclear weapons.
In 2021 a large cyberattack on Iranian petrol stations was said by Tehran to likely be caused by Israel. In 2023, a similar but larger cyberattack disrupted about 70% of petrol stations, with a group called "Predatory Sparrow" claiming the attack as retaliation to "the aggression of the Islamic Republic and its proxies in the region."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TimesLIVE
a day ago
- TimesLIVE
Two rights groups are first Israeli voices to accuse Israel of genocide
Two Israeli human rights organisations said on Monday Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, the first major voices in Israeli society to level the strongest possible accusation against the state, which vehemently denies it. Rights group B'Tselem and Physicians for Human Rights Israel released their reports at a press conference in Jerusalem, saying Israel was carrying out 'coordinated, deliberate action to destroy Palestinian society in the Gaza strip'. 'The report we are publishing today is one we never imagined we would have to write,' said Yuli Novak, B'Tselem's executive director. 'The people of Gaza have been displaced, bombed and starved, left completely stripped of their humanity and rights.' Physicians for Human Rights Israel focused on damage to Gaza's healthcare system, saying: 'Israel's actions have destroyed Gaza's healthcare infrastructure in a manner that is calculated and systematic'. Israel has fended off accusations of genocide since the early days of the Gaza war, including a case brought by South Africa at the International Court of Justice in The Hague that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned as 'outrageous'.
The Citizen
a day ago
- The Citizen
Tshwane mulls Iran embassy proposal amid city hall controversy
The City of Tshwane says no deal has been made after Iran's embassy expressed interest in using the long-abandoned city hall as a cultural centre. The current state of the city hall's surroundings in Tshwane, after millions were allegedly spent on its revamp. Picture: Supplied Following rumours Tshwane city hall may be rented to the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the City of Tshwane said nothing was set in stone yet. MMC for corporate and shared services Kholofelo Morodi said no discussions have taken place regarding the mechanics of any arrangement, such as lease terms, funding models or final site selection. 'These interactions remain entirely exploratory, with no commitments made by either party,' she said. Morodi said the city received a formal letter from the cultural consulate of the Iran embassy on 9 May proposing the establishment of a permanent Iranian cultural complex in Tshwane. The letter outlined the embassy's vision for a facility that would include a museum, library, restaurant, cinema and handcraft shops, and requested the city consider allocating land or a building for this purpose. City explores reuse of dormant civic assets 'In response to this and similar requests, the bad buildings sub-mayoral committee, established earlier this year to identify underutilised municipal properties, has been exploring opportunities to repurpose assets long dormant,' she said. 'This work is guided by the urgent need to stimulate economic activity, attract investment for infrastructure upgrades and address budgetary constraints.' ALSO READ: R63 million 'wasted' on Tshwane City Hall as historic site crumbles Morodi said the city hall was one of several heritage properties under consideration for reuse as part of the city's broader inner-city regeneration efforts, adding that it has not been operational for over a decade. Embassy toured city hall, requested further sites 'A site visit was conducted on 28 May with representatives of the embassy.' She said the embassy requested to inspect additional sites. Morodi added that the city has hosted similar engagements with institutions of higher learning, the diplomatic community, property developers and private sector stakeholders, who are interested in restoring Tshwane's civic assets for public benefit. DA slams potential deal with Iran DA Tshwane caucus leader Cilliers Brink said that from correspondence released last week, it is clear Iran is not interested in a plan to revive the city hall. 'Rather, it wants the city to consider contributing a parcel of a municipal building,' he said. Brink asked why Tshwane would even consider gifting, or otherwise alienating, a historical cultural asset to a foreign government. 'In the letter of 9 May to the Tshwane MMC responsible for property management, Kholofelo Morudi, the embassy touts various benefits of such a 'cultural centre'. This is apparently what prompted the MMC to give Iranian officials a tour of city hall. But the benefits of Iran's offer are dubious at best,' he said. ALSO READ: Tshwane hands over title deeds to Stinkwater residents Brink said Iran has a far stronger relationship with the ANC than it does with the South African people. 'Iranian investment in SA is minuscule compared with the US. For decades, the ANC has confused its own interests with SA's interests. 'Their close proximity to Iran is one of the factors that has complicated our relationship with the US. The US, SA's secondlargest trading partner, has an enormous stake in the automotive sector that provides tens of thousands of jobs to Tshwane residents.' Brink said SA is, or ought to be, in negotiations with the US to shore up the relationship and the capital city should not undermine this. Analysts question transparency and diplomatic wisdom Political analyst Piet Croucamp said any relationship with Iran would be controversial in the circumstances. Political analyst Rene Oosthuizen said transparency and rigorous oversight were fundamental to good governance, especially in municipal affairs that involve foreign entities. 'It is of utmost importance that the City of Tshwane fully discloses the nature and terms of any engagements with the Iranian embassy.' NOW READ: Power cut to police station sparks DA backlash over alleged favouritism
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Claims of leasing City Hall to the Iranian Embassy clarified
The Tshwane metro has clarified its affairs surrounding the alleged plans to lease the Pretoria CBD's City Hall to the Iranian Embassy. This after DA's Cilliers Brink raised concerns over the metro not being transparent regarding the rescue of the dilapidated City Hall. 'The DA will ask Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya to disclose the details of interactions between the City of Tshwane and the Embassy of Iran,' said Brink in a statement. He said this followed reports about the possible Iranian Embassy's involvement in the repair and leasing of the Pretoria City Hall. 'This is a matter which has never been discussed by the City Council,' he said. In response to the allegations, the metro confirmed that the representatives of the Iranian Embassy did visit the City Hall. However, it said, there were no discussions of any potential arrangement, such as lease terms. 'On May 9, the metro received a formal letter from the Cultural Consulate of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran proposing the establishment of a permanent Iranian Cultural Complex in Tshwane,' said Sthembiso Skosana, spokesperson for the office of the MMC for Corporate and Shared Services. In the letter supplied by the metro, the Iranian Embassy proposed that the metro consider contributing a parcel of municipal building or land to the Iranian Embassy. This would be for the establishment of a permanent Iranian Cultural Complex in the metro. The letter also outlined the Embassy's vision for the proposed facility, which would include a museum, library, restaurant, cinema, and handcraft shops. Skosana said in response to this and similar requests, the Bad Buildings Sub-Mayoral Committee has been actively exploring opportunities to repurpose assets that have long been dormant. The committee was established earlier this year to identify underutilised municipal properties. 'This work is guided by the urgent need to stimulate economic activity, attract investment for infrastructure upgrades, and address the metro's well-known budgetary constraints,' he said. He said as part of the process, officials from the Group Property Department developed a proposal of potential sites for the Embassy's consideration. 'This included, but was not limited to, Tshwane City Hall, which was clearly identified as a protected public asset that is unequivocally not for sale,' he said. He affirmed that the intention was to open exploratory discussions and assess possible alignments with the metro's revitalisation plans. He further acknowledged that the City Hall, a landmark of historic and civic significance, has not been operational for over a decade. 'City Hall is one of several heritage properties under consideration for appropriate reuse as part of the city's broader inner-city regeneration efforts,' he stated. He said its preservation and responsible revitalisation form part of the metro's broader strategy to restore key heritage assets for public benefit. He added that a site visit was conducted on May 28 with representatives of the Iranian Embassy, who were shown the City Hall building and its surrounding precinct. 'Following this inspection, a subsequent request was received from the Embassy to inspect additional potential sites, as only City Hall had been viewed during the initial engagement,' he said. Skosana emphasised that the interactions were entirely exploratory, and no commitments were made by either party. 'To be clear, no discussions have taken place regarding the mechanics of any potential arrangement, such as lease terms, funding models, or final site selection.' He said the metro has hosted similar engagements as part of its efforts to reclaim and revitalise neglected infrastructure through responsible public-private partnerships. 'Recent consultations have included Institutions of Higher Learning, the diplomatic community, property developers, and private sector stakeholders who share an interest in restoring Tshwane's civic assets for public benefit,' he said. Skosana emphasised the metro's commitment to transparent and responsible governance. 'We remain committed to transparency, responsible stewardship, and meaningful engagement with all stakeholders as we work to breathe new life into the Capital City while preserving its cultural heritage for generations to come,' he concluded. ALSO READ: City Hall scandal: officials face disciplinary enquiries Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.
