The recent charges unveiled by the United States against three individuals have brought Iran’s alleged election interference to light. The malicious actors are accused of hacking the campaign of former President Donald Trump on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that the operation aimed to undermine Trump’s campaign for the 2024 election.
The cyber operation utilized spearphishing and social engineering techniques to compromise the accounts of US government officials and individuals linked to political campaigns. The goal was to leak stolen material to media members and individuals associated with a second presidential campaign. While the indictment does not name the second campaign, it was clarified that there was no evidence of any response from President Joe Biden’s team.
In response to these actions, the Treasury Department imposed sanctions on seven individuals, including Masoud Jalili, one of the charged individuals, for interfering in US elections. The Treasury highlighted the efforts of Emennet Pasargad, an Iranian cybersecurity firm, in attempting to influence American voters and undermine voter confidence in the 2020 presidential election.