TEHRAN – The recent cyberattacks against the websites of some Iranian newspapers were conducted from the United States and Britain, police spokesman Saeed Montazerolmahdi has said.

Speaking to Tasnim news agency, Montazerolmahdi said the Cyber Police (also known as FATA) is pursuing the issue of the cyberattacks, which targeted the websites of the Ghanoon, Arman and Setare Sobh newspapers.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The Information and Communications Technology Ministry issued a report on Sunday saying the three websites can be targeted again.

The report said security issues were one of the important factors that led to the attacks. It also published the names of 27 more websites with similar issues.

Montazerolmahdi said the attacks were “trivial” and the hackers did not gain full access to the websites’ servers.

Fortunately, the administrators of the hacked websites immediately reported the issue on their social media accounts, he remarked.

He further made assurances that Cyber Police would definitely track those behind the cyberattacks.

The spokesman also pointed to the killing of an anti-drug police officer in Khash County, saying three people involved in the murder have been arrested by police.

He said the arrested individuals were drug traffickers in Iran’s eastern region and had criminal records.

The anti-drug police have confiscated 645 tons of narcotics, with 87% of the confiscations having been made in the country’s eastern provinces, he added.

MH/PA