Advertisement

Iran rejects claims that it's trying to interfere in U.S. election

Demonstrators burn the flags of Israel and the United States during a rally in front of the former U.S Embassy compound in Tehran, Iran. File Photo by Maryam Rahmanian/UPI
Demonstrators burn the flags of Israel and the United States during a rally in front of the former U.S Embassy compound in Tehran, Iran. File Photo by Maryam Rahmanian/UPI | License Photo

Sept. 11 (UPI) -- The Iranian government on Friday disputed claims by Microsoft that it has tried to meddle in the U.S. presidential election.

Microsoft said in a report Thursday that researchers had discovered that Iran, Russia and China have all participated in attempts this year to hack various entities related to the campaigns of President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

Advertisement

Microsoft said an Iranian group known as Phosphorus attempted between May and June to access personal or work accounts of people involved in the election.

The group has previously spied on various organizations tied to geopolitical, economic or human rights interests in the Middle East.

Foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh rejected the accusation. Instead, he argued that the United States is behind "active disinformation campaigns" in other countries and doesn't have any moral ground to make accusations against others.

"The [United States] has interfered for decades in the elections of other countries, including Iran, and orchestrated a coup d'etat which overthrew Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeq," he said.

"As we have mentioned repeatedly, for Tehran, it doesn't matter who rules in the White House," he added.

Advertisement

"All that matters is that Washington should honor the international law, regulations and norms, quit interfering in the other countries, and carry out its commitments."

Latest Headlines