Iran is sending emails to intimidate voters, US officials claim

The message warns recipients with consequences if they don't vote for Trump in 2020 Presidential Election

US intelligence officials warned yesterday that Iran has been trying to interfere with the 2020 presidential election by sending threatening emails to American voters.

In a surprise press conference held by the US Justice Department, John Ratcliffe, the US Director of National Intelligence and Chris Wray, FBI Director, disclosed that a large number of Democrat voters in Arizona, Florida and Alaska received emails this week with the subject line "Vote Trump or Else."

The emails claimed to come from pro-Trump right-wing group "Proud Boys" and warned recipients with consequences if they didn't vote for Donald Trump in upcoming US Presidential Election.

"You will vote for Trump on Election Day or we will come after you," the message said, according to the New York Times.

The group behind these emails claimed that they have "gained access into the entire [US] voting infrastructure" and also warned recipients that all their personal information, including name, address and phone number, has fallen into the group's hands.

According to the US officials, Iranian influence specialists are sending these emails in efforts to intimidate voters, damage President Trump's campaign, and to incite social unrest in multiple states.

Ratcliffe said that Iran was also trying to spread a video that shows an individual taking print-out of a ballot paper with another person's information. It infers that individuals could cast fake ballots, even from other country. Ratcliffe described the video as misguiding and fake.

He added that Iran is not alone to attempt influencing US voters and there is ample evidence to suggest that Russia has also obtained some voter registration information.

"Although we have not seen the same actions from Russia, we are aware that they have obtained some voter registration information," Ratcliffe noted.

"These actions are desperate attempts by desperate adversaries."

So far US intelligence has found no evidence to suggest that the US voter registration systems have been compromised by an adversary in a recent cyber campaign. No election result tallies have been altered or information about registered voters changed, according to officials.

Ratcliffe urged people not to be alarmed if they receive any intimidating message and not to forward such messages to other people.

On Wednesday evening, Mark Warner, D-Va., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., the members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, also urged Americans voters to remain vigilant over the coming weeks.

The leaders warned that foreign adversaries were attempting to create an environment where American people feel unsure about what they're seeing.

"Our adversaries abroad seek to sow chaos and undermine voters' belief in our democratic institutions, including the election systems and infrastructure that we rely on to record and properly report expressions of the voters' will," the leaders stated.