Donald Trump campaign accuses Iran of stealing sensitive documents amid meddling in US election reports

Former US President Donald Trump's presidential campaign on Saturday said it was hacked, a day after Microsoft reported foreign agents' attempts to interfere in the 2024 election campaign.

It indicated Iranian actors' involvement in stealing and distributing sensitive documents. However, the campaign did not provide evidence regarding Iran's hand in it, AP reported.

The campaign cited an example where, in June, an Iranian military intelligence unit used a spear-phishing email from a hacked account of a former senior advisor to target a high-ranking official of a presidential campaign.

In an official statement, the National Security Council spokesperson said it takes any report of improper foreign interference “extremely seriously” while condemning any government or entity that attempts to undermine confidence in US democratic institutions.

“We do not accord any credence to such reports. The Iranian government neither possesses nor harbours any intent or motive to interfere in the United States presidential election,” Iran's Mission to the United Nations told AP.

Iran has long been suspected of hacking campaigns targeting its Middle Eastern and global adversaries. Tehran has also threatened to retaliate against Trump for the 2020 drone strike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

Recently, the US Justice Department revealed charges against a Pakistani national linked to Iran, accused of plotting to assassinate political figures in the US, including Trump, using undercover agents posing as hitmen. The case highlighted Iran's desire to target perceived enemies and avenge Soleimani's death.

Politico reported about the hack, revealing that on July 22, it began receiving emails from an anonymous AOL account named “Robert”. The emails included what seemed to be a research dossier on Republican vice-presidential nominee, Ohio Sen. JD Vance. The document was dated February 23, nearly five months before Trump chose Vance as his running mate.

He pointed to the Microsoft report issued Friday and its conclusions that “Iranian hackers broke into the account of a ‘high ranking official’ on the U.S. presidential campaign in June 2024, which coincides with the close timing of President Trump’s selection of a vice presidential nominee.”

(With AP inputs)