Telegraph: Iran plotting cyberattacks to influence US midterm elections

Iran is preparing to influence the upcoming US midterm elections, scheduled for November 3, through cyber operations targeting election systems, as part of broader efforts to exploit political divisions in the United States and Israel, according to a report published Thursday by the British newspaper The Telegraph.

The report cited Iranian officials who said that the timing of elections in both countries presents a strategic opportunity for Tehran, which is forming specialized cyber groups to breach election systems.

One official explained that the confrontation with Washington and Tel Aviv goes beyond military operations, stating: “The confrontation with the United States and Israel is not limited to missiles and weapons, but also includes disrupting elections, banking systems, and travel.”

According to the report, Tehran is not seeking to support any particular candidate in either country, but rather aims to deepen internal divisions, potentially limiting the ability of the US and Israeli governments to act against it.

Israeli elections and prospects of political deadlock

The report says Iran is betting that the outcome of the Israeli elections will lead to political deadlock, hindering the formation of a stable government and limiting Israel’s ability to launch new attacks. This would give Tehran time to rebuild its missile and defense capabilities, which were damaged in recent confrontations.

Preliminary results, according to The Telegraph, show that neither of the competing blocs has secured a sufficient majority to form a government, while Arab parties are expected to play a significant role in coalition negotiations.

This scenario puts the formation of the Israeli government and its decision-making capacity among the factors Tehran considers as it seeks to exploit political divisions, the report said.

Tehran’s calculations for the US congressional elections

In the United States, Iran is focusing on the November 3 midterm elections, hoping that Democrats will regain control of the House of Representatives or strengthen their position in Congress, which could restrict President Donald Trump’s ability to continue military operations against Iran and support Israel.

However, analysts warned, according to the report, against overestimating the impact of the election results on the course of the conflict, noting that Democratic control of Congress does not necessarily mean an end to military operations, given the broad powers the US president holds over military affairs.

Conversely, the report said, electoral considerations could prompt the Trump administration to accelerate a new attack on Iran if it believes a swift military victory could boost Republican chances in the elections.

The Telegraph concluded that Tehran is betting on gaining advantages from political divisions in the United States and Israel, while also preparing for the possibility of continued military confrontation, making election outcomes and developments on the ground key factors in its calculations for the coming period.