France accuses Iran of hacking supermarket fridges in cyberattack

France has accused Iran of orchestrating cyberattacks that targeted refrigeration units in supermarkets, according to BBC World. The attacks, which occurred last month, caused fridges and freezers in hundreds of French supermarkets to heat up, spoiling fresh and frozen food worth millions of euros.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot identified the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as responsible for the cyberattack, describing it as unprecedented in scale and aggression, reported DW English. He announced plans to impose European-level sanctions on those responsible.

The cyberattack began on October 11 and affected more than 100 Coopérative U supermarkets and 180 other stores, according to BBC World. The attacks caused some refrigeration units to catch fire, as noted by DW English.

French authorities have opened an investigation into a cyber unit affiliated with the IRGC, known as Shahid Kaveh. The Paris prosecutor's office has requested international arrest warrants for the unit's leader and two deputies, Al Jazeera English reported.

The Iranian ambassador was summoned by France, and sanctions are being pursued at the European level, according to Al Jazeera English. Similar incidents have also been reported in other European countries, though it is unclear if they are connected to the French attacks.

The investigation and sanctions efforts are ongoing as French officials respond to the cyberattacks targeting critical refrigeration infrastructure in supermarkets.