Iran Atomic Energy Organization Email Server Hacked... Hacker Demands "Release of Protesters"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI), where anti-government protests have continued for over a month, announced that its email server was hacked.

On the 23rd (local time), according to Bloomberg News and others, the Atomic Energy Organization issued a statement announcing that the email server of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant operating company, Iran's only nuclear power plant, was hacked.

The Atomic Energy Organization stated, "Some emails were leaked externally due to this attack," and added, "This illegal act was carried out by certain foreign forces to attract public attention." It also added that emails sent from the IT department of a subsidiary were posted without authorization and that an internal investigation was promptly launched.

A hacking group known inside Iran as 'Black Reward' claimed responsibility for the hack. Through their Telegram channel, the group released about 50GB of materials related to the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, including internal emails, construction plans, and maintenance contract documents. They claimed that this cyberattack was to support the Iranian protesters and demanded, "Release the political prisoners arrested during the recent nationwide anti-government protests."

Protests triggered by the case of Mahsa Amini (22), who was arrested for not properly wearing a hijab and died under suspicious circumstances at a police station, have continued for over a month in Tehran and other major Iranian cities. Amini was arrested by the Guidance Patrol in downtown Tehran on the 13th of last month for not properly wearing a hijab. She suddenly collapsed while being interrogated at the police station and was transferred to a hospital, where she died. This incident sparked widespread anti-government protests across Iran.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.