Reuters reported that hackers affiliated with Iran’s regime have threatened to release another batch of stolen emails from the inner circle of Donald Trump, the President of the United States.
These hackers, who operate under the alias “Robert,” had already shared part of these emails with media outlets ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
In online conversations with Reuters on Sunday and Monday, the hackers claimed they have about 100 gigabytes of emails from the accounts of different US officials.
“Robert” raised the possibility of selling this information but did not provide any specific details about their plans. The group also did not describe the contents of the emails.
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The White House and FBI issued a joint statement through FBI Director Kash Patel, stating that any individual involved in violating national security will be fully investigated and prosecuted.
Iran’s regime delegation at the United Nations also did not respond to requests for comment. Tehran has previously denied any involvement in cyber espionage.
The identity of “Robert” came to light in the final months of the 2024 presidential campaign when the group claimed to have gained access to the email accounts of several of Trump’s allies, including Susie Wiles, Trump’s Chief of Staff.
In an indictment issued in September 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of orchestrating the “Robert” hacking operation. However, in their conversation with Reuters, the hackers declined to comment on this allegation.
After Trump’s victory in the election, the “Robert” group told Reuters that they no longer planned to release any information.
However, the group became active again after the recent 12-day war between Israel and Iran’s regime, which ended with U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.
In messages to Reuters this week, “Robert” said they are planning to sell the stolen emails and asked the media outlet to “make it public.”
Frederick Kagan, a researcher at the American Enterprise Institute and an expert on Iran’s cyber-espionage operations, said Iran’s regime suffered significant damage during the conflict and its intelligence agencies are likely trying to respond in ways that do not provoke stronger retaliation from the U.S. or Israel.
Despite concerns about the potential for destructive digital actions by Iran’s regime, hackers affiliated with the regime remained relatively quiet during the recent conflict. On Monday, U.S. cybersecurity officials warned that American companies and critical infrastructure may still be vulnerable to cyberattacks from Tehran.
