The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, 11 November 2026, categorically rejected France's accusation of Iranian involvement in a cyberattack that targeted refrigeration systems at hundreds of French supermarkets in October, calling the charge 'baseless and malicious.' The rejection came days after French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot publicly blamed Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) for the attack and summoned the Iranian ambassador to lodge a formal protest.

Iran's Official Response

In a formal statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry described France's accusation as a continuation of a 'threadbare' policy of targeting Iran with unfounded allegations. The ministry said the charge was an 'irresponsible and silly action' aimed at tarnishing Iran's image and disrupting its diplomatic relations with other nations.

The ministry further argued that the accusation was designed to divert public attention from France's own 'destructive policies' toward Iran and the broader West Asia region. It stressed that Tehran would not hesitate to take 'necessary and appropriate' measures to defend its national interests and security against what it termed 'illegal foreign activities.'

France's Accusation and the G7 Context

Foreign Minister Barrot made the allegation on Monday while speaking to reporters in Paris following a meeting of Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers. He attributed the attack specifically to the IRGC, making it one of the most direct public attributions by a European government against Iranian state actors in recent memory. France subsequently summoned the Iranian ambassador to Paris to register a 'strong protest.'

The cyberattack reportedly disrupted refrigeration systems across hundreds of French supermarkets, raising questions about the vulnerability of retail and food-supply critical infrastructure to state-sponsored cyber operations.

Italy Moves to Bolster Cybersecurity

In a parallel development, the Italian Interior Ministry on Tuesday announced that Italy would strengthen its cybersecurity posture in response to a wave of recent attacks affecting multiple European countries. The measures were agreed at a meeting of the National Committee for Public Order and Security, chaired by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi.

Investigators examining the incidents identified a common intent: to cause instability, spread unfounded alarms, and damage the reputation of targeted institutions. The agreed steps include closer coordination among police, intelligence services, and cybersecurity bodies, greater information sharing with public and private operators, and direct investment to strengthen system protection and incident-response capabilities.

Broader Implications for Europe

The episode underscores a growing pattern of cyber incidents targeting European civilian infrastructure — supermarkets, public administrations, and critical utilities — that security analysts say blurs the line between espionage and economic disruption. This comes amid already elevated tensions between Iran and Western governments over regional conflicts in West Asia and ongoing disagreements over Tehran's nuclear programme. Notably, public attribution of a cyberattack to a specific state actor remains a politically significant move, with diplomatic and legal consequences that go well beyond the technical details of the incident.

How Iran and France manage this diplomatic standoff — and whether other G7 partners formally endorse Paris's attribution — will shape European cyber-diplomacy in the months ahead.