French authorities have leveled serious accusations against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps following a wave of coordinated cyber-attacks that crippled refrigeration systems in hundreds of supermarkets. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described the incident as unprecedented in its scale and aggression, noting that the breach caused temperatures in some fridges to soar to fifty degrees Celsius overnight. The resulting chaos led to the destruction of tons of chilled and frozen food across major retail chains including Carrefour, Intermarche, and Cooperative U.
Investigators believe the attackers exploited software from Danish engineering firm Danfoss, which allows store managers to control cooling units remotely. While France focused most of its attention on domestic losses, similar malfunctions were reported at supermarkets in Belgium, Luxembourg, and several other European nations. There are even reports of mysterious refrigerator failures at a handful of United States military bases back in August, leading experts to wonder if these incidents are part of a larger global pattern of digital sabotage.
The French government has specifically pointed toward a hacker cluster known as Shahid Kaveh, an offensive cyber unit affiliated with the IRGC. In response to these findings, Paris has summoned the Iranian ambassador to lodge a formal protest and warned that sanctions and other proportionate measures are imminent. A legal investigation has already been launched into the head of the suspected cyber unit and two subordinates.
While Tehran has not issued an official diplomatic response, state-aligned media outlets have dismissed the claims as entirely baseless. Analysts suggest that if Iran is indeed responsible, it may be part of a broader deterrence strategy intended to signal that retaliation for conflicts in the Middle East could extend far beyond traditional battlefields. However, attributing such attacks remains notoriously difficult, as sophisticated actors can easily mask their digital footprints to avoid detection.
