Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama on Monday defended his NATO-member country's move to cut off diplomatic relations with Iran in response to multiple cyberattacks that reportedly destroyed government data and shut down services.
In an interview on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," Rama declared the decision was clear-cut and indisputable.
"We had proof … that behind the attack it is Iran, the Islamic Republic of Iran — four groups, one of which is one of the top cyberattack groups," he said.
"It's not an accusation; it's a fact. At the same time we realized it was time to cut ties with this regime," he added.
"We have preferred first to build up an alliance for support," he said. "What we need now is to fasten all our defense against cyberattacks … we are prepared to see more to come."
Rama said his nation is "a committed ally" of the United States, but that it's not on Albania's shoulder "to make the big decisions" about any NATO response to such activity.
"We are dealing [with it] in our own way, the way of democratic countries with this kinds of regimes," he said.
Pressed on his country's response to Russia and its war on Ukraine, Rama said, "We were the North Korea of Europe," not having any contact with the Kremlin since the 1960s.
"This history made us completely distanced from Russia," he explained.
"In the 30 years of buildup of democracy," Rama said he was content there was no contact with Russia.
"I don't miss it. We don't depend on Russian gas," he said.
"It's not difficult to keep a very strong position in the country where [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's popularity is less than 1%," he added.
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Fran Beyer ✉
Fran Beyer is a writer with Newsmax and covers national politics.
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