Iran is ramping up its cyber activities aimed at influencing the upcoming U.S. presidential election, as highlighted in a recent Microsoft report.

U.S. intelligence officials have expressed concerns that foreign adversaries, particularly Iran and Russia, are determined to spread misinformation ahead of the November election.

The report indicates that Iran is evolving its tactics for election interference, building on previous activities observed in U.S. campaigns.

Iran has increasingly utilized covert social media accounts to foster political discord within the United States, further complicating the electoral landscape.

Additionally, Iranian groups have created fake news websites targeting both left-leaning and right-leaning audiences, using AI to replicate content from legitimate sources.

These Iranian actors have also impersonated activists to incite tensions among the U.S. populace, rather than explicitly favoring one political side.

While the report does not clarify Iran's specific intentions, U.S. officials suggest that Iran may particularly oppose Donald Trump in favor of his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris.

U.S. officials have voiced concerns that Iran's actions may be a form of retaliation against the Trump administration's past actions, including the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

Recent activities attributed to Iranian intelligence-linked groups include phishing attempts targeting high-ranking U.S. campaign officials and efforts to breach email accounts.

Microsoft has noted that foreign adversaries are increasingly leveraging generative AI technology to create misleading content, raising alarms about its potential impact on voters.

In response to these allegations, Iran's U.N. mission has denied any plans to interfere in the U.S. election, asserting that its cyber capabilities are purely defensive.