Swedish authorities confirmed that Iranian hackers launched a cyberattack in 2023, following a series of Quran burnings in the country that had sparked international outrage.
Several Quran-Burning Incidents
The attack, linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, was part of a campaign to incite division within Sweden and portray it as an anti-Islamic nation.
Throughout 2023, Sweden witnessed several public Quran-burning incidents, which fueled violent protests across the Islamic world, according to Hotnews.
These events not only escalated tensions globally but also led to Turkey blocking Sweden’s NATO membership bid for months. The attack allegedly aimed to exploit these tensions and create societal divisions.
Urges Residents to Take Revenge
Sweden’s Security Service revealed that the cyberattack involved a breach of a messaging service, through which hackers sent thousands of messages urging residents to avenge the Quran burnings. According to Swedish officials, this was part of a broader campaign orchestrated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
“The goal was to portray Sweden as an Islamophobic country and sow division within our society,” the Swedish Security Service said in a statement.
Sweden raised its terror alert level last year following these Quran-burning incidents. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson described the situation as "very serious," adding that Sweden had gone from being a "legitimate target" to a "priority target" for such attacks.
Stockholm's prosecutor’s office confirmed that Iranian state actors were behind the cyberattack. Although the individual hackers responsible were identified, no charges were brought due to their ties to a foreign state, making prosecution or extradition to Sweden unlikely.
