WASHINGTON: Donald Trump said Wednesday there were "big threats" on his life posed by Iran after the Republican presidential candidate's campaign team said US intelligence warned him of "real and specific" threats from Tehran. "Big threats on my life by Iran. The entire US Military is watching and waiting," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "Moves were already made by Iran that didn't work out, but they will try again. ... I am surrounded by more men, guns, and weapons than I have ever seen before," he said, following increased scrutiny of the US Secret Service since two attempts on Trump's life this year.

Trump's campaign team said in a statement Tuesday that US intelligence had warned the former president of "real and specific" threats from Iran to assassinate him. It was not immediately clear if the threats referred to by the campaign and Trump himself were new or threats that have previously been reported. "President Trump was briefed earlier today by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence regarding real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him in an effort to destabilize and sow chaos in the United States," campaign communications director Steven Cheung said in the statement.

"Intelligence officials have identified that these continued and coordinated attacks have heightened in the past few months, and law enforcement officials across all agencies are working to ensure President Trump is protected and the election is free from interference," he added. The campaign did not elaborate on the claims.

Iran has rejected accusations that it is trying to kill Trump this summer, shortly after a gunman opened fire at a rally in Pennsylvania, killing one person and wounding the presidential candidate. Days after the July 13 assassination attempt, US media reported that authorities had received intelligence on an alleged Iranian plot against the Republican, prompting his protection to be boosted. Iran rejected the "malicious" accusations. "If they do 'assassinate President Trump,' which is always a possibility, I hope that America obliterates Iran, wipes it off the face of the Earth — If that does not happen, American Leaders will be considered 'gutless' cowards!" Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, at the time.

Iranian cyberattackers

US intelligence agencies have also accused Iran of a hack targeting Trump's campaign, alleging Tehran is seeking to influence the 2024 election. A joint statement from the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency this month said Iranian cyberattackers had offered "stolen, non-public" material from Trump's campaign to staff for his then-White House rival, President Joe Biden.

"Foreign actors are increasing their election influence activities" as Election Day in November approaches, the statement said, singling out Russia, Iran and China as "trying by some measure to exacerbate divisions in US society for their own benefit."

The US agencies said the Iranian cyberattackers had also attempted to share the information stolen from the Trump campaign with US media organizations. It did not name the outlets.

Iran has also vehemently denied those accusations. The campaign of Trump's presidential election rival, Democrat Kamala Harris, said on August 13 that it too had been targeted by foreign hackers, but did not give an indication of which country was believed to be behind the attempt. Americans cast their ballots on November 5. Polls show Trump and Harris, who launched her campaign after Biden dropped out earlier this summer, are neck and neck. — AFP