National Interest: Were Iran’s missile installations subjected to a cyber attack?

Iran witnessed a huge explosion east of the capital, Tehran, last week, and media reports said it occurred in a tunnel area that includes sensitive missile production facilities.

The American “National Interest” magazine pointed out that one of the Iranian generals did not rule out a cyber attack, amid speculation that the accident occurred as a result of a breach.

The “National Interest” magazine added, “But the United States and Israel deny any responsibility for the incident”.

The Iranian Mehr News Agency quoted the head of the Iranian Civil Defense Organization, Colonel Gholamreza Jalali, as saying that his country is still investigating whether the explosion was a result of the penetration of computer systems at the Parchin industrial site.

The magazine says: “While satellite imagery indicates that the explosion occurred at a missile production facility, Iranian officials confirm that it occurred at the Parchin industrial site, 40 km from it.

The magazine continued: “The clear cover-up of the incident, which coincides with international tension over Iran’s nuclear program, raises doubts about the occurrence of hostilities”.

The magazine pointed out that the Security Council was discussing the issue of Iranian missiles, last Tuesday, during its consideration of the possibility of resuming the arms embargo imposed on Iran or not.

The “National Interest” magazine continued: “The United States of America uses Iran’s missile launch as an excuse to accuse Tehran of developing a dangerous ballistic missile program.”

The United States and Israel have worked together to target Iran’s nuclear program and infiltrate its computer systems, in addition to plans to assassinate Iranian scientists.

The magazine added: “A site like (Kojir), a facility for Iranian missiles, is certain that it will be attacked by such attacks as those of the Iranian nuclear program, and that it will be at the center of the targets for undermining the Iranian arsenal of conventional missiles”.

The magazine mentioned the US envoy on Iran, Brian Hook, in a statement to the Israeli “Channel 13” that there was no comment, but pointed to Washington’s deep concern about the Iranian missile program, while an Israeli official told the New York Times that he had no Information about the explosion.