Iran ramps up election interference, targeting U.S. voters across the political spectrum

WASHINGTON (TND) — A bombshell report revealed Iran is already hard at work trying to interfere in U.S. elections, and they're targeting voters from both sides of the aisle.

A new report from Microsoft found multiple instances of Iran backed groups running covert news websites. In one instance, the website "Nio Thinker" is targeting progressives with content, news, and opinion articles written by "NioThinker Staff." One article called Donald Trump an “opioid-pilled elephant in the MAGA china shop.” Another website, "Savannah Time," is also being run by an Iranian backed group, this time posing as a conservative news and opinion page.

The FBI spoke out about the potential for the activity multiple times already this year to Congress and at speaking engagements.

“This election cycle the US will face more adversaries moving at a faster pace and enabled by new technology," warned F.B.I. Director Christopher Wray in a speech to the Intelligence and National Security Alliance in February.

Rob Pritchard, founder of "The Cyber Security Expert," says because they're targeting both Republicans and Democrats, then overall confusion might be the goal.

It feels more like they probably have the order to interfere, and perhaps it’s not particularly thought out about what that should look like or what the end goal is," he said.

Microsoft’s researchers said Iran, along with other sites and accounts run by China and Russia, appear to be aided by artificial intelligence to produce and distribute their content.

It’s not just fake news, Microsoft’s report says in June, a group run by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted an official on a Presidential campaign with a spear phishing email and tried to login to a former Presidential candidate’s account. Microsoft didn't name the officials. Iran denied meddling in a statement to the Associated Press.