In an updated assessment of threats to the November election, a US intelligence official has revealed that Iran is employing covert social media activity and related influence operations in an attempt to undermine the candidacy of former President Donald Trump. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) stated that the US intelligence community has observed Tehran working to influence the presidential election, likely due to Iranian leaders wanting to avoid heightened tensions with the United States.

The recent covert Iranian influence activity primarily manifests in the form of covert social media accounts and associated actions, as stated by the ODNI official during a media briefing when questioned about specific examples of such activity by CNN. The ODNI official further clarified that Iran's preference for a US presidential candidate has remained the same since 2020. Last year, Iran executed a multi-faceted covert influence campaign aimed at undermining Trump's chances of re-election, according to a declassified US intelligence report.

The ODNI official also revealed that Russia's preferences for the presidential race have not changed since 2020 either, when Moscow conducted various influence operations to support Trump's candidacy and denigrate Joe Biden. The Iranian Permanent Mission to the United Nations strongly denied engaging in any activities to influence the US election and dismissed the accusations as psychological operations designed to artificially manipulate election campaigns.

Notably, the alleged Iranian threats against Trump's candidacy have not been confined to online activities alone. US authorities recently received intelligence from a human source, indicating a plot by Iran to assassinate Trump. This development prompted the Secret Service to bolster security measures around the former president. However, there is no evidence connecting Thomas Matthew Crooks, the individual who attempted to assassinate Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13, to the alleged Iranian plot. Iran has vehemently denied any involvement in the assassination allegations.

Addressing the broader tactics employed by foreign influence actors, the ODNI official highlighted their usage of the attempted assassination of Trump as part of their own narratives, tailoring the event to fit their larger objectives. Additionally, Iran has been covertly fueling protests related to the Israel-Hamas conflict in the US by assuming the guise of activists online and even providing financial support to protesters, according to US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines.

The ODNI emphasized that Iran relies on extensive networks of online personas and propaganda mills to disseminate disinformation, particularly exacerbating tensions in the context of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The updated intelligence assessment reveals a growing number of foreign actors targeting US elections, indicating that the influence tactics employed by these entities have expanded since Russia's extensive effort to influence the 2016 election. The ODNI's evaluation underscores that Russia remains the primary threat to US elections. Russian entities, operating under the guise of "influence-for-hire" firms based in Russia, are becoming more adept at customizing content to target American audiences.

Comment from the Russian Embassy in Washington, DC has been requested by CNN, although the Russian government regularly denies US allegations of election interference. Regarding China, the updated assessment suggests that while it is unlikely China plans to interfere with the outcome of the US presidential election, US intelligence agencies are monitoring the potential involvement of China-linked propagandists and influence actors to denigrate down-ballot candidates.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping assured President Biden during their meeting in November that China would not interfere in the 2024 US presidential election, as reported by CNN previously.