Iran Expresses Concern over Spying Reports, Calls on Austria to Secure N. Talks

Local Editor

Iran voiced concern about recent media reports of suspected espionage at nuclear talks venues, urging Swiss and Austrian authorities to take immediate measures to protect the cyber security of negotiations with world powers.

In separate official written messages to the foreign ministries of Austria and Switzerland, Iranian embassies in Vienna and Bern notified the two European countries of Iran’s serious concern over the security of the venues that host the negotiations between Iran and the six world powers.

The Iranian diplomatic missions demanded that any information found in an investigation of the issue be shared with the Islamic Republic.

The Austrian Foreign Ministry was asked in particular to take whatever measures necessary to provide security, including cyber-security, for the venue of the talks. Vienna is currently hosting the latest round of the nuclear negotiations between Iran and the six world powers.

On Thursday, Swiss and Austrian officials said they have begun investigating reports that a computer virus linked to Israel targeted the hotels used by the delegates from Iran and Group 5+1 (the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany).

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Wednesday that spyware, widely believed to be used by Israeli spies, had attacked the computer systems of the hotels hosting the sensitive negotiations.

Source: Al-Manar