Intelligence agency: Iran seeking to disrupt US elections

The The Wall Street Journal reports an American intelligence agency says Iran is attempting to sabotage the election campaign of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The assessment was revealed the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to the newspaper and differs from earlier assessments that the Islamic state seeks to be a “chaos agent” within the United States. Tehran now fears a Trump presidency and is specifically aiming to damage the former president’s chances of returning to office.

The agency source outlined how Iran is using “a broad network of online figures and propaganda agents to spread disinformation” and is also conducting well-funded propaganda and misinformation online activity.

According to media outlets during the 2020 election, members of an Iranian hacking group also accessed confidential US voting records to spur at least 100,000 registered Democratic to vote by sending out threatening emails under the guise of being members of the Proud Boys group.

Now, reports the New York Post, “Iran is also spreading ‘disinformation’ through ‘vast webs of online personas and propaganda mills’ in addition to clandestine efforts to put a thumb on the scales for Harris.”

Some members of Congress believe the shooter in Trump’s assassination attempt, may have had contact with international players through his off-shore internet activities. FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Judiciary Committee last week that an investigation into the would-be assassin has “not found any evidence of any accomplices or co-conspirators, foreign or domestic.” He confirmed the ongoing threat from Iran.

The revelation comes after Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of the Revolutionary Guards aerospace force spoke repeated threats saying “We are looking to kill Trump.”

“God willing, we are looking to kill Trump. [Former secretary of state Mike] Pompeo … and military commanders who issued the order [to kill General Soleimani] should be killed,” he said.

“We need to recognize the brazenness of the Iranian regime — including right here in the United States — and I expect that we’re going to see more of it,” FBI Director Christopher Wray warned in the hearing.

­–Metro Voice and wire services