Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visits a petrol station in Tehran. AFP
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visits a petrol station in Tehran. AFP
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visits a petrol station in Tehran. AFP
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi visits a petrol station in Tehran. AFP

Iran blames cyber attack for fuel 'disorder'


Leila Gharagozlou
  • English
  • Arabic

A cyber attack on Tuesday that brought sales at petrol stations to a halt around Iran was designed to create “disorder and disruption”, Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi said.

“We need to be equipped and prepared against cyber attacks,” Iranian state media quoted Mr Raisi as saying.

“Some people intend to make our nation angry by creating disorder and disruption in their lives,” he said without elaborating.

Iran's oil minister Javad Owji said 3,000 of the 4,300 gas stations affected across the country had resumed normal activities.

The cyber attack came just a few weeks before the second anniversary of bloody protests in Iran. The 2019 demonstrations were brought on by a sudden increase in fuel prices and led to some of the bloodiest protests the country had seen in decades.

The day after the cyber attack, Mr Raisi visited a petrol station in the capital and spoke to workers.

In the past, Tehran has blamed the US and Israel for a series of online assaults. In July, the website of the transport ministry was taken down by what state media said was a “cyber disruption".

The same month, Iran's train services were delayed by apparent cyber attacks, with hackers posting the phone number of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's office as the number to call for information. This time hackers posted the number for a sharia hotline linked to the supreme leader's office.

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How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019

December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'

JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.

“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”

November 26:  ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’

SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue. 

SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."

October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'

MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.

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Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do

Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.

“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”

Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.

Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.

“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”

For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.

“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”

 

Updated: October 28, 2021, 6:30 AM