TEHRAN -- Iran’s telecommunications minister said the country has successfully repelled one of the most extensive cyberattacks ever launched against its communications infrastructure, describing the assault as among the largest in recent years.
Minister of Information and Communications Technology Sattar Hashemi said on Thursday that the cyberattack occurred late last week and targeted the country’s communications network, specifically one of Iran’s telecommunications service providers.
“On Sunday afternoon, the country witnessed one of the biggest and most extensive cyberattacks against its communications infrastructure,” Hashemi said. He added that the attack originated from more than 120,000 sources worldwide.
According to the minister, the attack was fully neutralized due to preventive measures already in place. “With the arrangements that had been made, the attack was completely thwarted,” he said.
Hashemi said Iran manages cyber threats on two levels, both outside and inside the country. He explained that part of the attacks are mitigated using the capacity of international internet service providers and equipment installed abroad, while a significant portion is handled domestically through locally produced systems and the capabilities of the Telecommunications Infrastructure Company.
He said the scale and intensity of the attack could have caused serious disruption to communications services. 
“This attack, in terms of its scope and severity, is among the most significant cyberattacks in recent times and could have created major challenges,” he said, adding that the situation was contained through continuous monitoring and coordinated efforts by communications experts.