DUBAI - A cyberattack disrupted the sale of heavily subsidised gasoline in Iran on Tuesday, state media reported, causing long lines at gas stations across the country.
"The disruption at the refuelling system of gas stations... in the past few hours, was caused by a cyberattack," state broadcaster IRIB said. "Technical experts are fixing the problem and soon the refuelling process...will return to normal."
The disruptions came ahead of the second anniversary of a November 19 increase in fuel prices which led to widespread street protests in which hundreds were reported to have been killed by security forces.
The oil ministry said only sales with smart cards used for cheaper rationed gasoline were disrupted and clients could still buy fuel at higher rates, the ministry's news agency SHANA reported.
Videos posted on social media showed apparently-hacked street signs carrying messages such as "Khamenei, where is our gasoline", in a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Reuters could not independently authenticate the videos.
In the past, Iran has been targeted by a series of cyberattacks such as one in July when the website of the transport ministry was taken down by what state media said was a "cyber disruption".
Iran says it is on high alert for online assaults, which it has blamed in the past on the United States and Israel. The United States and other Western powers meanwhile have accused Iran of trying to disrupt and break into their networks.
(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Jon Boyle and Emelia Sithole-Matarise) ((dubai.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com;))
