Cyberattack Disrupts Iranian Banks

Iran's state-run banking system faced widespread disruptions over the weekend due to a cyberattack, causing considerable outages in electronic payment services. The Banks Coordination Council of Iran confirmed the incidents, according to the economic portal Eghtesad-News, stating the issue has since been resolved and online traffic restored.

The disruptions were particularly noticeable in the capital, Tehran, where many customers reported being unable to complete online payments at supermarkets, restaurants, and gas stations. Several major state banks and their ATMs were targeted.

An Iranian cybercrime group named Black Wolves had announced an impending attack on their Telegram channel prior to the incident, describing it as an unfolding digital war. Iran's banking systems experienced a similar large-scale attack in 2022 during protests.

Iran has faced multiple connectivity issues in recent months. The country endured an 88-day nationwide internet outage. The government has also previously restricted internet access and blocked certain social media platforms, despite the use of VPN services being illegal.