US Intelligence Agencies Accuse Iran of Escalating Election Interference Efforts
A joint statement released Monday by the FBI, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) accuses Iran of escalating its efforts to interfere with the 2024 US presidential election by targeting both political campaigns and the American public through cyberattacks and influence operations, CBS News reports.
Tehran sees the 2024 US election as “particularly consequential” for its domestic policies, leading to an increase in measures aimed at “stoking discord and undermining confidence in our democratic institutions,” the statement read.
For the first time, US intelligence officials have publicly blamed Iran-backed hackers for targeting the Trump campaign. Last week, the campaign revealed it had been hacked, claiming Iran stole and distributed internal documents.
Three sources familiar with the investigation confirmed to the media outlet that federal investigators suspect Iranian hackers also targeted individuals associated with the Biden-Harris campaign. The FBI launched inquiries in early summer after both presidential campaigns reported attempted phishing schemes aimed at their staff.
According to the joint statement, the agencies are “confident that the Iranians have through social engineering and other efforts sought access to individuals with direct access to the Presidential campaigns of both political parties.”
Such activity, including theft and disclosure of information, “is intended to influence the US election process,” the statement added.
While a senior official from the Harris campaign stated last week that they are unaware of any security breaches, the Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the UN vehemently denied the allegations, calling them “unsubstantiated and devoid of any standing.”
“The Islamic Republic of Iran harbors neither the intention nor the motive to interfere with the US presidential election,” the Iranian mission stated, adding that Tehran demands evidence for Washignton’s claims.
US officials, including the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI Director, and the CISA Director, have previously warned of foreign adversaries’ attempts to undermine the US presidential race.
In the lead-up to the 2020 election, FBI Director Christopher Wray and then-Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe claimed Iran was working to “damage” Donald Trump’s reelection efforts.
“This activity demonstrates the Iranians’ increased intent to exploit our online platforms in support of their objectives,” the intelligence agencies warned.
The FBI and CISA, while acknowledging that ransomware attacks could disrupt localized election processes, stressed that they have no reasons to believe that cyber activity could disrupt the voting and affect the accuracy of the election process.
