France Targets Iran Over Cyberattack That Warped Supermarket Freezers

French shoppers faced spoiled inventory and closed aisles this autumn when hackers raised the internal temperatures of hundreds of supermarket refrigerators. The disruption forced retailers to discard large quantities of perishable goods, creating immediate financial losses for store owners and logistical headaches for supply chains.

The incidents occurred on October 11 and 12. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated on Tuesday that Paris is leaving no option off the table to address the breach. He identified the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, as the entity responsible for the sabotage. Barrot described the event as the first large-scale cyber sabotage of its kind on French territory.

The dispute has expanded beyond bilateral channels. France intends to seek coordinated European action against Tehran. Barrot confirmed that the government is seeking to implement sanctions at the European level to address the threat. He noted that some measures may remain undisclosed to the public, but all actions will be deemed proportionate and necessary to deter future attacks.

Diplomatic pressure is being applied simultaneously. The Iranian ambassador to France will be summoned to discuss the matter. Barrot made these remarks on the sidelines of a G7 foreign ministers' meeting held in Paris. He emphasized that the goal is to discourage any party from attempting similar operations again.

Legal proceedings have also begun in parallel with diplomatic efforts. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau announced on Monday that an investigation has been opened into Shahid Kaveh. This unit is described as a shadowy cyber division within the IRGC. The prosecutor's office has requested international arrest warrants for two officials associated with the group.

The cyber threat has not remained isolated to France. Similar incidents were reported across the continent in early November. On November 2, stores in at least nine other European countries experienced a suspected cyberattack on their freezer systems. These events mirror the specific technical issues seen in French supermarkets, suggesting a coordinated pattern of activity across the region.