### Iranian Trio Charged in Hack of Trump’s Campaign Amid Election Tension

In a significant development, US authorities have brought charges against three Iranian nationals accused of hacking into Donald Trump's presidential campaign. The individuals, identified as Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, and Yasar Balaghi, are alleged members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Prosecutors have linked them to a "hack and leak" operation that aimed to compromise the integrity of an unnamed presidential campaign, evidently to sow discord in the electoral process.

The trio face 18 charges, including wire fraud, identity theft, and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. These charges come after US officials disclosed last week that Iranian hackers had attempted to disseminate stolen material from the Trump campaign to affiliates of Joe Biden's re-election team.

The Department of Justice released a 37-page indictment outlining a hacking campaign that began in 2020 and targeted various US entities, including government and intelligence officials, as well as media figures and political campaign associates. In May 2024, the accused hackers allegedly began targeting "US Presidential campaign 1," stealing documents and communications via fraudulent email accounts and phishing tactics. By June, they reportedly tried to leak this information to the media and individuals connected to "US Presidential campaign 2."

When questioned at a press conference, Attorney General Merrick Garland confirmed that there was no indication the Biden campaign used any of the hacked materials. He highlighted the "good cooperation" received from both the Trump and Biden campaigns. Morgan Finkelstein, a national security spokeswoman for Kamala Harris' campaign, affirmed their collaboration with law enforcement, noting that no material had been sent directly to their campaign. She acknowledged that a few individuals were targeted with phishing attempts on their personal email accounts.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed Iran's responsibility for the hack, warning that the nation aimed to "stoke discord and undermine confidence in our democratic institutions." FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasized the culmination of a comprehensive, long-term investigation, asserting that Iranian hackers could not hide behind their keyboards.

Among the information reportedly obtained from the Trump campaign was a dossier on vice-presidential nominee JD Vance. Though initially sent to major US media outlets, the materials were not widely disseminated until journalist Ken Klippenstein posted the Vance dossier on his blog. Klippenstein, who received the information from someone named "Robert," was subsequently banned from X (formerly Twitter) for violating rules against revealing personal information.

This case unfolds as Kamala Harris remains active in her campaign and amid ongoing debates over US funding for Ukraine, adding further complexity to an already contentious election atmosphere.