A Canadian Jewish advocacy organization is urging Albania to become a full member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in response to Iranian cyberattacks over the last few months.

B'nai Brith Canada said that it applauded Albania for standing up to Iran after the Islamic Republic launched several cyberattacks against it in July and September. In response, Albania severed diplomatic relations with Iran.

B'nai Brith sent a letter to the Albanian Embassy in Ottawa encouraging the country to upgrade its observer status in the IHRA to full member as an additional step against Iran.

Albania would join Canada and 34 other full-member nations in the organization.

“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,” B'nai Brith Canada CEO Michael Mostyn said. “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.”

B’nai Brith said that it agreed 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.”

Albania was targeted July 17 and September 9 by sophisticated Iranian cyberattacks that sought to disable the country’s governmental services and defence infrastructure. In response, Albania immediately cut diplomatic relations and expelled Iran’s diplomatic delegation.