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Hackers funded by the terror-sponsoring regime in Iran plan to target the 2020 election in the United States to "undermine" President Trump, whose re-election would be their "nightmare," according to a new report from Just the News.

The publication reports that senior U.S. intelligence officials have revealed that "Trump's reelection is a nightmare for the ayatollahs," so Iran is paying hackers to attack.

"Iran seeks to undermine U.S. democratic institutions, the current U.S. president, and to divide the country in advance of the 2020 elections," one official told JTN.

That official, speaking to JTN on condition of anonymity, said the "cyber-warriors" are trying to exploit the coronavirus pandemic.

"Iran is targeting U.S. and international health organizations for COVID-19 information" and aims to release select information that would inflame discord, an official reported.

The report explained during the 2012 election, Iran was suspected of attacking several American banks, J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America and Citigroup, with denial-of-service strategies.

More recently have been attacks, apparently from Iran, on U.S. utilities, the report said.

"It’s fairly well known that the Iranian government has invested considerable resources into cyber hacking, and have done so for some time," Fred Fleitz, whose background includes being chief of staff to National Security Adviser John Bolton, told JTN.

"Iran is a major American adversary. I'm sure it wants to steal technology, learn about American weakness, meddle in our democracy, and steal economic secrets. I have no doubt the Iranians have an aggressive effort."

A cybersecurity expert, Ramesh Sepehrrad, told JTN that Iran has experienced its own uprisings demanding regime change and public anger over its mismanagement, and Iran's mullahs hope a disruption in the American leadership will benefit themselves, the report said.

She's on an advisory board for the Organization of Iranian American Communities, which opposes the current regime in Iran.

"Tehran's strategy is to buy time and survive until November, hoping that a potentially Democratic U.S. president would save them," she said. "Therefore, given their absolute desperation to survive domestic unrest, economic disaster, and U.S. pressure, Trump's reelection is a nightmare for the ayatollahs."