Iran could send 'threatening' messages to U.S. voters to tilt election: report

The Islamic Republic of Iran may escalate its election interference in the United States with direct messages to voters, NBC News reported Wednesday.

"While it’s unclear exactly what such an operation would entail, or even if it has already begun, the governments of the U.S., Sweden and Israel have all accused Iran of sending threatening and intimidating [emails] and text messages to their citizens in recent years. The U.S. intelligence community noted this month that Iranian hackers appear to have gained access to some Americans’ voting records, as they did in 2020," said the report.

In addition to trying to influence votes, the messages may also seek to inflame distrust against the government or incite violence.

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Election interference by hostile foreign powers has become commonplace, one of the most well-known incidents being Russian interference in the 2016 election on behalf of Donald Trump, the extent of which was outlined in a report by former special counsel Robert Mueller. Some of Trump's allies were prosecuted as part of that scheme, mostly for lying to or obstructing investigators.

U.S. intelligence sources "told reporters that both Iran and Russia were continuing propaganda operations to influence American voters and society" last week, the report noted — adding that these countries have opposite preferences for influencing the election, with Russia favoring a Trump victory and Iran favoring a Trump defeat, but "both countries aim to foment distrust in democracy and may try to incite violence in the U.S. before or after the election, the officials said."

Iran, which is currently locked in conflict with Israel both directly and through its proxy groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, has already meddled in U.S. affairs over the course of the election.

Intelligence sources uncovered a plot by Iran to assassinate Trump. Iranian hackers also managed to infiltrate and steal information from the Trump campaign by posing as far-right activist Ginna Thomas, wife to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.