Hackers breach Iran's atomic energy agency, protests persist
Iran’s atomic energy agency has alleged that hackers acting on behalf of an unidentified foreign country broke into a subsidiary’s network and had free access to its email system
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's atomic energy agency alleged on Sunday that hackers acting on behalf of an unidentified foreign country broke into a subsidiary's network and had free access to its email system.
An anonymous hacking group claimed responsibility for the attack on Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, demanding Tehran release political prisoners arrested in the recent nationwide protests. The group said it leaked 50 gigabytes of internal emails, contracts and construction plans related to Iran’s Russian-backed nuclear power plant in Bushehr. It was unclear whether the breached system contained classified material.
The hack comes as Iran continues to face nationwide unrest first sparked by the Sept. 16 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman in police custody for allegedly not adhering to the country's strict Islamic dress code. On Sunday, Iran's leading teachers’ association reported that sit-ins canceled classes at multiple schools across the country in protest over the government’s crackdown on student protesters.
The protests first focused on Iran’s state-mandated hijab, or headscarf, for women but soon grew into one of the most serious challenges to the country’s ruling clerics. Protesters have clashed with police and even called for the downfall of the Islamic Republic itself. Security forces have fired live ammunition and tear gas to disperse demonstrations, killing over 200 people, according to estimates by rights groups.
