"Iranian Secret Campaign" to Undermine Trump's Presidential Candidacy

An American intelligence official indicated that "Iran is conducting a 'secret campaign' via social media, attempting to undermine former President Donald Trump's candidacy for the presidential elections." In an updated assessment regarding threats to the elections scheduled for next November, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, stated that "the intelligence community has observed that Tehran is working to influence the presidential elections, perhaps because Iranian leaders want to avoid an outcome they see as increasing tensions with the United States." The official from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence added during a media briefing: "This was evident in the activities of covert social media accounts and related activities," and noted that Iran's preference for a presidential candidate has not changed since 2020. According to a declassified American intelligence report, Iran executed "a multifaceted secret campaign aimed at undermining the chances of former President Trump's re-election" during the 2020 election campaign. For its part, Iran's mission to the United Nations stated in a statement to CNN that "Iran does not engage in any goals or activities aimed at influencing U.S. elections," adding: "A significant portion of these accusations features psychological operations designed to artificially bolster electoral campaigns."