Iran targeted by 'massive cyberattack,' official claims

IDG News Service - Iran's intelligence minister has accused the U.S., the U.K. and Israel of planning a "massive cyberattack" against his country after talks this week over Iran's nuclear program failed to reach an agreement, Iranian state TV reported on Thursday.

Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi said the attack on Iran's nuclear facilities was planned after the talks in Moscow aimed at curtailing Iran's nuclear program broke down.

He didn't say how Iran had detected the attack or where the information came from, but he said the attack was planned by the U.S. and "the Zionist regime" as well as Britain's MI6 intelligence service, according to Iran's state-run Press TV.

"They still seek to carry out the plan, but we have taken necessary measures," Moslehi said, according to the report.

The New York Times reported earlier this month that President Barack Obama had ordered attacks on the computers that run Iran's nuclear facilities, accelerating a plan that began before he came to office. That led to the infamous Stuxnet virus that targeted Iran's Natanz plant, according to the Times.

Press TV also cited a Washington Post report that said the U.S. and Israel had cooperated on a new virus, called Flame, to target Iran's nuclear program.

Reuters, which was among the first to pick up the Press TV report, said it was unclear if Moslehi's remarks had been referring to Flame or to a new attack.