### Iranian Hackers Indicted for Stealing Trump's Campaign Documents, Says DOJ

In a significant cyber intrusion case, three Iranian nationals have been charged with hacking into former President Donald Trump’s campaign and stealing sensitive emails and documents. According to both U.S. officials and a federal indictment filed in Washington, the stolen materials were subsequently shared with the media.

Identified as members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the hackers employed cybercriminals to breach the campaign system of Trump in May. The U.S government maintains that these individuals also hacked the personal email accounts of a former deputy director of the CIA, a former Defense Department official, and Roger Stone, a longtime advisor to Trump.

"The American people, not a foreign power, decide the outcome of our country's elections," Attorney General Merrick Garland stated firmly. The indicted hackers used spearphishing tactics, creating fake email accounts that impersonated well-known U.S. officials and public figures to deceive campaign associates into opening malware-laden emails.

The stolen information was distributed in June to individuals linked to then-candidate President Joe Biden's campaign. However, there is currently no evidence that these recipients engaged with the material, as per FBI and other U.S. officials.

Iran has vehemently denied these accusations. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations dismissed the allegations as "entirely baseless, lacking any credibility and legitimacy," as reported by the semi-official Fars news agency.

This incident underlines the growing boldness of Iran's cyber activities against the United States, which previously included alleged plots to murder dissidents and threats against former President Trump. Attorney General Garland also mentioned similar interference attempts from Russia and China, who seek to influence American elections and stir internal discord.

Matthew Olsen, head of the National Security Division at the Department of Justice, highlighted the unprecedented level of foreign interference in the current election cycle in a recent interview. He stressed the seriousness of the situation, noting that Russia, Iran, and China aim to disrupt U.S. democracy by deepening societal divisions and undermining public trust in the electoral process.

"No evidence has been found that Iran, Russia, and China are directly coordinating their election influence efforts," a senior U.S. official informed NBC News. Nonetheless, efforts to influence American politics are ongoing, as indicated by a recent publication of a hacked Trump campaign document by journalist Ken Klippenstein.

Prosecutors have also indicted two employees of the Russian state-controlled media network RT, accusing them of using a Tennessee-based company to influence American politics via social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Videos posted by this alleged operation garnered millions of views, yet the precise impact on voters remains uncertain.

The Justice Department reiterates the severity of the threat from foreign interference and pledges continued scrutiny of such activities. Citizens are advised to be cautious of unverified information to protect the integrity of the electoral process.