“If the U.S. government truly stands by its claims, it needs to provide relevant evidence—if available—for us to address appropriately,” said a spokesperson in response to a recent statement.
This statement followed a joint announcement from key agencies, including the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), FBI, and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which highlighted a surge in aggressive actions from Iran during this election cycle. These efforts are specifically aimed at influencing the American public and conducting cyber operations against presidential campaigns.
The announcement noted, “This includes attempts to compromise former President Trump’s campaign,” and attributed these efforts to Iran, emphasizing that they view this year’s elections as critically impactful for their national security.
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U.S. intelligence agencies expressed confidence that Iranian efforts have included social engineering to gain access to individuals closely tied to both parties’ presidential campaigns. Such activities, characterized by thefts and disclosures, are aimed at swaying the U.S. electoral process and have been linked to both Iran and Russia in earlier elections.
During his presidency, Trump maintained a tough approach towards Iran, withdrawing from a nuclear deal and imposing several sanctions. Tensions escalated significantly in 2019, culminating in the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s top military commander, a move that prompted Iran to retaliate with missile strikes against U.S. forces in Iraq.
Since then, Iranian officials have continued to issue threats against Trump, especially following an assassination attempt against him last month, which was allegedly connected to Iranian operatives. A Pakistani national was arrested in New York in relation to this plot, although both Iran and Pakistan deny any involvement.
Shortly after the reported Iran-backed assassination plot, Politico revealed it had received emails with a dossier detailing vulnerabilities related to Trump’s potential running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio. Other major outlets, such as The New York Times and the New York Post, reported receiving similar documents.
This month, Microsoft identified four groups—Sefid Flood, Mint Sandstorm, Peach Sandstorm, and Storm -2035—engaged in “malign” activities on Iran’s behalf as the election approaches, without specifically naming the Trump campaign as a target.
The Trump campaign swiftly condemned the leaked documents as being obtained illegally from foreign adversaries aimed at meddling in the upcoming elections and causing chaos in the democratic process.
Trump has frequently criticized the Iran policies of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, especially following Biden’s recent withdrawal from the race. With regional tensions rising amid ongoing conflicts, Trump has called for a firmer stance against Iran.
However, during a recent rally in New Jersey, he hinted at a potential shift in diplomatic relations, stating, “I’m not looking to be adversarial towards Iran; I hope we can be friendly, but they absolutely cannot have nuclear weapons.”