TEHRAN- The United States and Britain have been criticized by the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the UN for remaining silent about cyberattacks on Iran while dismissing Tehran’s involvement in a cyberwar on Albania.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the mission denied the U.S.-UK attempt to implicate Iran in any way in a cyberattack against Albania, arguing that Washington and London lacked the authority and competence to make such claims against Iran.

The statement reads: “As a victim of cyber-attacks, Iran strongly condemns any cyber-attack targeting civilian infrastructure in all its forms and manifestations. We rejected the baseless accusations of the U.S. and the UK against the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding an alleged cyberattack on Albania.

The U.S. and the UK, that had previously remained silent in numerous cyberattacks against Iran’s infrastructures and its nuclear facilities, and had even directly or indirectly supported those measures, lack any legitimacy to level such accusations against Iran.

As the main victim of terrorism, Iran urges the Member States of the UN to uphold their international obligations in combating terrorism by not harboring or supporting terrorist groups within their territory.

Iran, as a country that has been repeatedly attacked by cyberattacks, is an important part of responsible international efforts to deal with the threat of cyberattacks.”

According to IRNA, the U.S. National Security Council spokesman Adrienne Watson on Sept. 7 claimed that Washington holds Iran accountable for the cyberattack that happened in Albania on July 15.

On Wednesday, Albanian Prime minister Edi Rama made some unfounded accusations against Iran and issued a statement announcing severance of ties with Iran. Albania also gave Iranian diplomats 24 hours to leave Tirana.

Iran’s embassy in Brussels has also condemned the recent anti-Iran statement issued by NATO, saying the Western military alliance is in no position to accuse Tehran given its support for those who have waged cyberattacks against the Islamic Republic in the past.
In a Friday statement a copy of which was published on its Twitter account, the Iranian diplomatic mission "categorically" rejected the "baseless accusations."

"NATO and its Members not only kept silent on cyber-attacks against Iran's infrastructural and nuclear facilities but also directly or indirectly had aided and abetted these acts of cyber sabotage," said the mission. "They have no standing to level such accusations against Iran."
"As a target country and victim of cyberattacks on its critical infrastructure by NATO allies and partners, the Islamic Republic of Iran rejects and condemns any use of cyber space for attacking other countries," read the statement.

On Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry also expressed regret for Albania's improper decision, while the European country is hosting a terrorist group named MEK/MKO, which shows Tirana is being affected by third parties.

The ministry ruled out the unproven claims against Iran, underscoring that the roles played by third parties, who raised some allegations against Tehran, indicate that certain states sponsoring terrorism are behind sowing such kind of discord.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said some reports on improper manners of local authorities in Tirana in dealing with Iran's diplomats have caused concern among Iranian officials.

According to the ministry, the Islamic Republic as one of the countries that have been targeted in several cyberattacks dismisses “any misuse of cyberspace as a tool to attack other countries’ crucial infrastructure.”