Paris: A diplomatic firestorm has erupted between France and Iran after Paris blamed an IRGC-linked cyber unit for hacking refrigeration systems at more than 700 French retail sites, causing food spoilage, fires and losses running into tens of millions of euros. Tehran has rejected the accusation outright, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accusing France of shifting blame for its own failures, agencies reported.
“Unable to manage fridges let alone addressing grievances of its people, French government is shifting blame for its failures onto others,” Araghchi wrote on X.
Paris Blames Iran
France says the October 11–12 attack was carried out by Shahid Kaveh, an offensive cyber unit affiliated with the IRGC’s Electronic Warfare and Cyber Defence Organisation. Paris describes the group as a persistent threat to its critical infrastructure.
French investigators say hackers remotely manipulated refrigeration controllers, activated abnormal defrost cycles and raised temperatures inside commercial cooling units. The result was widespread food spoilage and at least 15 fires across the affected sites.
The French government estimates the damage at tens of millions of euros and calls the operation the first offensive cyber campaign on French soil conducted purely for physical sabotage.
Wider Infrastructure Hit
The attack extended beyond supermarkets. Smaller butcher shops, a slaughterhouse and cooperative food-processing facilities were also affected, while France’s Cyber Crisis Coordination Centre linked the same operation to attempted intrusions at small hydroelectric installations using Schneider Electric equipment.
French officials said the hackers exploited web interfaces to take control of the equipment, run defrost cycles of unlimited duration and disable the temperature alarms meant to alert staff to dangerous conditions.
Evidence Cited By France
Paris based its attribution on the technical profile of the intrusion, the digital infrastructure used in the attack, traces of Farsi, and similarities to previous operations linked to Shahid Kaveh.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said: “This is an attack of unprecedented scale and aggressiveness.” He added: “It is the first large-scale cyberattack aimed at sabotage on French soil, and it represents a major threat to our national interests and the security of the French people. That is why it will not go unanswered.”
Tehran hits back
Iran’s Foreign Ministry categorically rejected what it called France’s “baseless and one-sided accusations,” insisting that Tehran had no role in the cyberattack.
Araghchi’s remark sharpened the exchange, framing France’s allegation as a diversion from domestic unrest and policy failures rather than engaging directly with the evidence presented by Paris.
France Escalates Response
France summoned Iran’s ambassador to protest the alleged attack and said it would pursue European Union sanctions against Iranian individuals and entities involved in the operation.
Paris prosecutors have opened a judicial investigation and sought international arrest warrants against the alleged head of Shahid Kaveh and two deputies. France has also reserved the right to take further measures, both publicly and covertly.
Broader Cyber Pattern
French authorities connect the refrigeration attack to earlier alleged Iranian cyber operations against Charlie Hebdo in 2023 and attempted interference around the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The EU had already sanctioned the Iranian entity Emmenet Pasargad in March 2026 over its role in earlier cyber activity, according to the French Foreign Ministry.
What Lies Ahead
France is expected to press for further EU sanctions while keeping open the possibility of additional responses. Iran continues to deny responsibility, leaving the dispute poised to deepen rather than ease.
