The FBI says Iran is behind a flurry of threatening emails sent to Democratic voters in multiple battleground states ahead of the November election.
The announcement Wednesday highlights how foreign countries besides Russia are using social media to influence U.S. politics. In recent months, thousands of emails have been sent to voters making false claims about the integrity of the election and threatening them to vote for President Donald Trump, the FBI said.
The emails were designed to intimidate voters, incite social unrest, and damage President Trump, a cybersecurity expert says. Despite the emails, the experts believe the integrity of the election is not in question.
Iran denied being involved in election interference and disinformation efforts, saying the U.S. is making false accusations.
Efforts in the U.S to protect against election interference are ongoing, with government officials stressing the security and integrity of the election process.