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| Edi Rama and the entrance of the IRan embassy in Tirana, composition |
The Albanian government announced on Wednesday morning that has decided to freeze diplomatic relations with Iran, because this state is behind the cyber attack that happened a few weeks ago in Albania. Prime Minister Edi Rama requested that the diplomatic staff of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran leave Albania within 24 hours.
Iran attacks prevented:
It is not the first time that there is an attack organized by Iran in Albania. In March 2018, an attack on the Bektashi World Grandmother in Tirana has been prevented on the day of Sultan Nevruz. Some persons of Iranian citizenship masked as journalists had organized a terrorist attack but this was prevented by the Albanian structures.
On the day of the event, the Albanian anti-terrorist detained 2 Iranians who introduced themselves as journalists but were later released and left the Albanian territory. For this event, 2 Iranian diplomats were expelled from Albania.
Cancellation of the "Free Iran World Summit" in Manza
The Free Iran World Summit scheduled to be held on July 23 and 24 at Camp Ashraf 3 in Manez, Durrës, has been postponed until further notice.
The decision came after the recommendations of the Albanian government and the reaction of the American embassy that a terrorist attack was planned by Iran.
MEK members have been to the attention of the Iranian regime, whose leaders have mentioned Albania as harboring terrorists.
While the United States today condemned Iran's cyber attack against Albania.
The spokesperson of the National Security Council, Adrienne Watson, said in a statement that "The United States supports the call of the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, that Iran be held responsible for the unprecedented cyber attack".
The United States, the statement added, will take further measures against Iran for the attack that threatens the security of an ally of the United States, as well as for the dangerous precedent it sets for cyber attacks.
For weeks, the United States has worked with private sector partners to support Albania mitigate, overcoming, and investigating the July 15 cyber attack that damaged government data and knocked out services, the White House said in a statement to the public.
The United States, the statement says, has concluded that it was the government of Iran that carried out this irresponsible attack.
Iran, the White House says, has violated the norms that a responsible peaceful state should follow in terms of cyber security, such as not damaging critical infrastructure that provides services to the public.
"Malicious cyber activities that deliberately damage infrastructure can have ripple effects for the country, the region and beyond, and can lead to escalation or conflict," the White House says.