Albania cuts diplomatic ties with Iran over July cyberattack

By LLAZAR SEMINI
Associated Press

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania’s prime minister says the government has cut diplomatic ties with Iran and expelled the country’s embassy staff. Albania and the U.S. have blamed Tehran for a major cyberattack nearly two months ago that was allegedly carried out by Tehran on Albanian government websites. The White House vowed unspecified retaliation Wednesday against Iran for what it called “a troubling precedent for cyberspace.”  Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said Wednesday the government’s decision was formally delivered to the Iranian Embassy in Tirana in an official note. A cyberattack on July 15 temporarily shut down numerous Albanian government digital services and websites.