September 28, 2022
OTTAWA – B’nai Brith Canada applauds Albania for standing up to Iranian terror by severing diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in response to malicious cyberattacks launched against it in July and earlier this month.
B’nai Brith also has sent a letter to the Albanian Embassy encouraging the country to take an additional stance by upgrading its observer status in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) to full member, joining Canada and 34 other full-member nations.
Albania was targeted July 17 and September 9 by sophisticated Iranian cyberattacks that sought to disable the country’s governmental services and defence infrastructure. Rather than make weak statements against Iran, as so many others have done when faced with Iranian terror, Albania immediately cut diplomatic relations and expelled Iran’s diplomatic delegation.
“Albania has a chance to show the world it rejects the antisemitic and malicious world view of the Iranian regime by becoming a full IHRA member,” said Michael Mostyn, Chief Executive Officer of B’nai Brith Canada. “Doing so is a concrete display of advocating the rule of law and a clear slap in the face to Iran, unquestionably one of the world’s leading exporters of terror.”
In a statement issued recently by Canada, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Marco Mendicino, Minister of Public Safety, strongly condemned the malicious cyber activity that targeted Albania. The Ministers stated that Canada joins its allies Albania, the United Kingdom, and the United States in attributing this activity to Iran identifying state actors as behind the incidents. Canada indicated that Iran disrupted government services to Albanians and imperiled the country’s national security.
B’nai Brith agrees with Canada’s assessment that the attacks demonstrate Iran’s complete disregard for the rules-based international system and responsible state behaviour.
“Albania sheltered Jews during the Holocaust, and it enjoys excellent relations with Israel. Albania recognized Israel as a state in 1949. Diplomatic relations were upgraded in 1991 and there is growing trade between the two countries,” said Marvin Rotrand, National Director of B’nai Brith’s League for Human Rights. “The simple gesture of becoming a full IHRA member will send a powerful message that the world is ready to stand up to Iran.”
