US intelligence agencies accuse Iran, Russia of meddling in 2020 election

US Director of National Intelligence John Ratfcliff accused Russia and Iran late on Wednesday of trying to interfere with the 2020 US presidential election.

Ratcliffe made the announcements at a news conference that also included FBI Director Chris Wray, reported Reuters.

He said that merely weeks ahead of election day, foreign actors were seeking to undermine Americans’ confidence in the integrity of the vote and to spread misinformation.

“We have confirmed that some voter registration information has been obtained by Iran, and separately, by Russia,” Ratcliffe said during the news conference.

Ratcliffe added that government officials “have already seen Iran sending spoofed emails designed to intimidate voters, incite social unrest and damage President Trump.”

He claimed that there had been emails designed to look like they had been sent by pro-Trump Proud Boys group when in fact they were sent by foreign groups. It is still unclear who is behind the emails but an investigation was underway.

A spokesman for Tehran’s mission to the United Nations denied Iran had sought to meddle in the election.

“Iran has no interest in interfering in the U.S. election and no preference for the outcome,” spokesman Alireza Miryousefi said in a statement.

The Kremlin on Thursday also denied allegations and called the accusations of hacking unfounded.