Albania cuts Iran ties, orders diplomats to go after cyber attack

TIRANA, Sept 7 (Reuters) – Albania is ending diplomatic relations with Iran and has ordered Iranian diplomats and embassy staff to leave within 24 hours, after an investigation into a cyber attack in July, Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Wednesday.

“The government has decided with immediate effect to end diplomatic relations with Islamic Republic of Iran,” Rama said in a video statement sent to the media.

“This extreme response … is fully proportionate to the gravity and risk of the cyberattack that threatened to paralyse public services, erase digital systems and hack into state records, steal government intranet electronic communication and stir chaos and insecurity in the country,” Rama said.

Reporting by Florian Goga and Fatos Bytyci; Editing by Edmund Blair