Iran state TV: The BBC hacked us

Iran's state TV has accused the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) of hacking its website. More specifically, the BBC allegedly changed poll results regarding Iran's nuclear program. As such, the BBC has suddenly found itself on the other side of the stick; the broadcaster has previously complained about Iran regularly hacking and disrupting its Persion TV service.

The state TV network recently asked if the public favored halting the country's uranium enrichment program in exchange for an end to Western economic sanctions. When the poll showed that 63 percent voted in favor of abandoning the nuclear program, and the BBC reported on said results, Iran accused the publication of breaching its website to change the data, according to CBS News.

The BBC has of course rejected Iran state TV's claims, calling them "both ludicrous and completely false" as well as saying that "the BBC Persian Service stands by its reporting" in a statement. "There is a significant audience within Iran which depends on BBC Persian to provide impartial and trusted news, and we are confident they are familiar with the state media's tactics," it also added.

The poll was taken down on Tuesday and on Wednesday new results were reported. The state TV declared that the figure in question was 24 percent, less than half of the original one. The remaining polled audience supposedly favored retaliation against the West.

One option of doing so is closing the Strait of Hormuz, a key to exporting oil from the Gulf. The West has long argued Iran is looking to produce nuclear weapons while the country's government insists its nuclear program is solely for energy production purposes.

See also:

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