Iran trying to undercut Trump campaign and Russia doing opposite, U.S. officials indicate

Iran has started an influence campaign designed to undercut the candidacy of former President Donald Trump, U.S. officials indicated Monday, in an apparent reprisal of a 2020 effort that U.S. intelligence agencies found with high confidence had been authorized by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The update came from officials with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), FBI and Department of Homeland Security who held a joint election security briefing 99 days before Election Day. The briefing was the second in a series the agencies expect to give before that day, and the officials spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss sensitive assessments.

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Iran's efforts to undermine the Trump campaign appear for the moment to be at cross-purposes with simultaneous efforts by Russia to influence the election in Trump's favor, even as the two countries have forged closer ties over the course of the war in Ukraine. Biden administration officials revealed last year that Iranian is attempting to help Russia build a drone factory on Russian soil in exchange for military equipment.