Iran’s nuclear facilities ‘Thunderstruck’

Iran’s nuclear facilities have suffered a cyber attack that shut down computers and played music from the rock band AC/DC, the F-Secure Security Labs website said.

A new worm targeted Iran’s nuclear program, closing down the “automation network” at the Natanz and Fordo facilities, the Internet security site reported, citing an email it said was sent by a scientist inside Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization.

The virus also prompted several of the computers on site to play the song “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC at full volume in the middle of the night, according to the email, part of which is published in English on the website.
F-Secure Security Labs, which is linked to F-Secure Oyj, the Finnish maker of security and cloud software, said that while it was unable to verify the details of the attack described, it had confirmed that the scientist who reported them was sending and receiving the emails from within Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization.

Iran’s nuclear program and oil facilities have been subject to a succession of cyber attacks that the Foreign Ministry said in May were launched by hostile governments as part of a broader “soft war.” Iran accuses the United States and Israel of trying to sabotage its technological progress. Both say Iran’s nuclear activities may have military intent, an allegation that Iran denies.
Mikko Hypponen, chief security officer at F-Secure Security Labs and the person involved in the correspondence, said he received three emails on July 22 from an individual with an aeoi.org.ir email address, receiving replies after he responded. After researching the person’s name on the Internet, Hypponen said he found “plenty of nuclear science papers and articles published by someone with this name.”

“I can’t confirm that the person was who he said he was. And I can’t confirm any of the things he said actually happened,” Hypponen wrote. “But I can confirm I was emailing with someone who had access to an aeoi.org.ir address.”

600 lawmakers: Breaking the cycle of Ruse against MEK

 “The pressing issue regarding Iran is neither confronting the regime’s nuclear program issue nor its terrorism. The main issue is to change this regime…your movement and your leadership, President-elect Maryam Rajavi, have the capacity to bring about change in Iran and to establish democracy in that country.”

-Mr.Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the U.S House of Representatives, addressing Iranians in Paris, 24 June 2012.

The recent 100 000 gathering of the Iranian opposition (MEK and NCRI) had this to say to the world:

The alliance of genocide and massacre from Tehran to Baghdad to Damascus cannot withstand the gale for democratic change and Freedom. Years of futile diplomatic tussling has boiled down to consecutive setback for the West and a defiant raving religious fascism which is a threat to world peace. Regime change is inevitable. The secret to a peaceful and stable Middle East is to invest in the pivotal force which has displayed a practical ability for tolerance, organization and public support.

The leader of the opposition to the clerical regime in Iran was the key speaker at the huge gathering in Paris. Maryam Rajavi introduced as the Iranian Pasionaria by the French television is the president-elect of the national coalition of democratic and secular forces of Iran. The metal engineer graduate and former political prisoner who has lost two of her sisters during the 50s and 60s in Iran said:

Let me reiterate that the aim of this movement has never been and still is not to grab power at all costs. Our aim is to guarantee freedom and democracy at any expense The Iranian resistance has come a long way and has always been based on transparency, truth and justice and respect for mankind’s achievements and virtues. It is based on the return of international institutions to defending human rights, based on restoring the rights of the peoples and reviving the value of resistance and sacrifice.

The Iranian Leader reflected on US values and said her respect and recognition of real American values has derived from the honor and courage displayed by a line of US officials and lawmakers that have preserved the spirit of Justice and not the flawed policy of appeasement of tyrants in Iran.

“It is my hope that Secretary Clinton would turn this oppressive and unfair page in the history of U.S. policy and personally bring an end to this unlawful designation,” she said.

Unlike the previous year when, speakers lashed out against the recalcitrant, fractious regime in Tehran that would not submit to the harness, this year the highlight of speeches was set on two main issues:

§  The historic achievements of the opposition in its legal battle to gain the basic right to resist Tyranny and the role of its leadership in preserving perseverance and tolerance in face of plots to disintegrate the movement.

§  The historic crossroads to make the inevitable choice of siding with the people and their resistance rather than bow to Tehran’s lies and deception.

Judge Michal Mukasey, former Attorney General of the United States, the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, said: “It is rare that people have an opportunity to hold their fate and the fate of others in their hands as we do now. And we must be careful not to open our fingers and let this chance slip away, because if we do we cannot expect to look down and find it there again. I thank you for your courage and your dedication, and the courage and dedication of Mrs. Rajavi and the entire leadership of MEK and for being an example to all of us and the world; never to give up the struggle for freedom.”
Mayor Rudy Giuliani underscored the historic stage laid out to determine the political landscape of the region and said: ”It’s about time that the United States of America, the European Union, all the countries of the world stand together with one very, very powerful voice and powerful argument; Regime change in Iran. The people of Egypt overthrew Mubarak. The people of Libya overthrew Kaddafi. The people of Syria are attempting to overthrow Assad. They’ve all been praised as freedom fighters. Well, what about the people of Iran? You seek to overthrow the most oppressive regime in the region; more oppressive than Mubarak, Kaddafi and Assad. Why are those countries that supported overthrow of those regimes not supporting the overthrow of the Iranian mullahs?”

The fact that appeasement failed completely to change the mindset of the Iranian theocracy did not discourage those who keep defending negotiations with the regime (or its “reformists” or “moderates”) at all costs.

Mayor Giuliani rejected the fallacy of negotiating with Tyrants and said: “We cling to the misguided notion that we can talk to the mullahs that we can negotiate with the mullahs. They use discussions as a pretext so that they can develop nuclear armaments. And it’s about time we stand up to them.”

The former New York mayor pointed the finger at the 100 000 gathering and said: “Wouldn’t this world be safer with an Iran that is dedicated to democracy, to freedom, freedom for women, freedom for all people, to the rule of law? Of course it would be. And unlike other places such as Egypt, Libya, Syria, there’s an alternative right now that exists here and in Iran to replace this regime: with all of you.”

Former French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said he joined the protests to tell the Iranian people that they have support. “We are supporting the Iranian people until they get their freedom and liberate all Iranians from a corrupt regime that is not fit for ruling in the 21st century”.

Ambassador of European Union to Combat Poverty and Social Exclusion, Tasha de Vasconcelos, said she sides with the Iranian people in their demands for freedom. “I am with the change that Iranian youth want to effect.”

Ingrid Betancourt, Colombian politician, former senator and anti-corruption activist spoke passionately of the members of the Iranian resistance: “We are going to fight to the end for Ashraf residents. We will not accept their relocation without any guarantee. They are not alone and the entire world is standing with them to defend their rights.”

The former hostage victim commended the brave role played by the chain of command and leadership of the MEK by women and said: “To my sisters in Ashraf: I am proud to be on the same side fighting the same combat with Maryam Rajavi. Don’t you think that a group of misogynists are going to be defeated by a group of women? We don’t accept that the mullahs are using the name of God to kill their people and to bring the atomic bomb.”

The Canadian group put forward David Kilgour, former Canadian Cabinet Minister and Deputy Speaker, as their spokesperson as they joined him on the platform. Mr. Kilgour said: The tens of thousands of us from forty countries on every continent here today, know the importance of a democratic Iran, to achieve a peaceful Middle East and world.

The gathering was a display of unparalleled bipartisan and International support for an opposition movement which is under intense reclusive smear campaign heeded by Tehran. The reverent and continuous display of support by delegates from five continents, 40 Senates and parliaments was accomplished when representatives from Syrian, Libyan and Egyptian Springs announced their support for the MEK; an incredible achievement that would melt the ice set on the dissidents by a glamorous defamation campaign.

Dr. Mosharaf from along with 300 of his friends had joined the gathering from Afghanistan in order to declare unity with the Iranian opposition in its struggle to bring freedom and democracy to Iran;

“We believe that our two nations have the same problem. It is the Tyrannical regime in Tehran that spins poison in the region. We pay tribute to Ashraf and Liberty for their perseverance and tolerance in face of all ploys by Tehran and would send this message: Regime change in Iran is not only the desire of the Iranian people but the key to regional peace, only if he MEK/MKO (Mujahedeen-e-khalq of Iran) are delisted by the State department.”

The US State Department seems to be lagging behind the gale for democratic change and unlike Obama Administration election mottos, the US foreign policy is not gaining momentum but dropping out of the inevitable political change in the Middle East. Something that would interests its Russian counterpart.

The Key to a face uplift would be to pace up and delist the pro-democracy opposition to the Iranian menace and join the growing trend of public opinion.

Responce to MSNBC lies about MEK

Response from the Natonal Council of Resistance of Iran

Editor's note: The following reponse to this article was received after publication from Shahin Gobadi, a spokesman for the Nationa Council of Resistance of Iran.

The claim that the Mujahedin-e Khalq (PMOI/MEK) had any role in the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists and the claim of the PMOI/MEK cooperation with Mossad is a sheer lie without even a scintilla of truth.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran has repeatedly denied the baseless allegation of playing a role in the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists. The primary source of this baseless allegation has been the propaganda machine of the Iranian regime and its officials. The last MEK denial was on January 11, 2012. Faced with tightening sanctions, growing internal and international isolation, the prospect of losing its strategic ally in Syria and growing internecine internal feuding, the clerical regime is paranoid about the prospect of delisting of the MEK by the U.S. Department of State. As such, it resorts to any fabrication and fairy tales, including the one that has been rehashed by NBC, to prevent the delisting of the MEK. 

The Iranian Resistance revealed last year that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had ordered a special unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to liquidate any managers or experts in nuclear projects if it detected that they are distancing themselves from the regime or intend to leave the country. He also said that the killings should be blamed on the MEK, the U.S., Israeli operatives or “world arrogance”.

On January 7, Fereydoon Abbassi, the Director of Atomic Organization of Iran, referred to widespread dissatisfaction among the regime's nuclear experts and told IRGC-run Fars news agency: "One should not lose site of the fact that just as we had deserters during the war, there are those scientists who refrain from cooperating with nuclear projects in order to maintain their international ties... Of course, we have never been worried and are not worried about this issue since there are plenty of human resources and experts in the country. At the moment, there is greater demand for activity in nuclear projects than there is the possibility.”  He predicted curiously that since the enemy cannot prevent the entry of science in Iran, "it resorts to assassinating Iranian scientists."

The totally fabricated story on the MEK is nothing but rehash of the thread-bare and baseless propaganda by the clerical regime. It gets repeated for a sole political objective: To justify the illegal, immoral, and baseless continuation of terrorist designation of the MEK by the State Department. A listing that is totally discredited, punctured from all directions and is on its death bed. It should be reiterated that no fantasy story such as the one by NBC and remarks by anonymous officials who according to the article make vague comments such as "all your inclinations are correct," cannot provide last minute oxygen to keep this listing alive.

The DC Federal Appeals Court ruled on July 2010 that there were no credible evidence on this listing and all of the documents provided by the State Department had been heresy and uncorroborated.  It said their sources were unknown or suspect and some were in and of themselves implausible. Thus, the court ordered the State Department to review this listing. More than 100 members of Congress, including Representative Mike Rogers (R-MI), Chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, in a rare bipartisan initiative called for revoking of the listing. Dozens of the most senior national security officials of the past four administrations have joined this campaign.

Contrary to the claim of the article, this rare consensus, as has been stipulated by the most senior national security officials of the past four administrations, is because there exists no evidence and document connecting the MEK with terrorism and the US government has not been able to provide even a single document to this effect.

It is not a coincidence that the main source of this story, similar to the shows broadcast by mullahs on their state TVs, is Mohammad Javad Larijani, who has been introduced as advisor to Ali Khamanei.

The main mission of Larijani, who in fact has been one the ideologues of the ruling dictatorship, is to justify at the international stage the brutal suppression, public hangings and stoning to death  of Iranian people by the clerical regime.

Blaming others for what oneself does, is one of the main attributes of Iranian regime and its officials. In fact, Larijani is the same person that on 1990 officially declared that the only means for the survival of the clerical regime was to expand its fundamentalist brand of Islam other Islamic countries.  It is clear that the main means of this expansion has been export of terrorism, and fundamentalism.

The unfounded nature of these allegation become all the more clear if one recalls the claim about MEK's cooperation with the Ramzi Yousef for bombing Imam Reza Shrine in Mashad in 1994. This allegation amounts to defamation and could be pursued legally.  The MEK has never had any contact or connection to Ramzi Yousef. It is very telling that when this tragic bombing took place on June 20, 1994, Ali Khamenei, personally attributed the bombing to the MEK, something the MEK flatly denied at the time. A few years later, during the regime's factional feuding, a former member of the regime's Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) revealed that the bombing had been perpetrated by the MOIS and in particular by Saeed Emami faction, then a deputy of the MOIS.

Shahin Gobadi, National Council of Resistance of Iran, Paris, February 9, 2012