A Swedish preliminary investigation has shown that the Iranian state, through the Revolutionary Guard IRGC, was behind a serious data breach in the summer of 2023. Through the breach, 15,000 SMS messages were sent with calls for revenge actions against Quran burners, which aimed to create division in Swedish society, according to press releases from Säpo and the Public Prosecutor's Office.

Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist says that the hackers have been identified, but conditions for prosecution are lacking.

– The preliminary investigation shows that it was the Iranian state via the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, IRGC, that carried out a data breach at a Swedish company operating a major SMS service. Through the investigation, we have been able to establish the identities of the Iranian hackers who carried out the serious data breach, he says in the Public Prosecutor's Office press release.

The Security Service notes that the influence campaign was conducted by an Iranian cyber group.

According to Fredrik Hallström, operational chief at the Security Service, the aim was to increase polarisation.

– The Security Service can confirm that a cyber group acted on behalf of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to conduct an influence campaign. The aim was, among other things, to portray Sweden as an Islam-hostile country and create division in society, he says to the Security Service.