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On Tuesday, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions against entities in Iran and Russia for their attempts to interfere in the 2024 presidential election. The sanctions target an Iranian organization affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a Moscow-based group linked to Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency.
“These actors aimed to stoke socio-political tensions and influence the U.S. electorate during the 2024 U.S. election,” the Treasury said in a statement.
Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith highlighted the threat posed by foreign influence operations. “The Governments of Iran and Russia have targeted our election processes and institutions and sought to divide the American people through targeted disinformation campaigns. The United States will remain vigilant against adversaries who would undermine our democracy,” he said.
The Iranian-affiliated Cognitive Design Production Center has allegedly been conducting operations since 2023 to provoke divisions among American voters, according to the Treasury. Similarly, the Moscow-based Center for Geopolitical Expertise, supported by the GRU, has been implicated in creating deepfake videos and spreading false information about candidates in the 2024 election.
The Treasury noted that Russian efforts included disinformation campaigns designed to mimic legitimate news outlets, creating a false appearance of corroboration while obscuring their origins.
U.S. intelligence agencies previously warned in September that Iran, Russia, and China have employed artificial intelligence to enhance their propaganda efforts aimed at influencing the 2024 election.
Both Iran and Russia have denied the allegations. Ali Karimi Magham, a spokesperson for Iran’s mission to the United Nations, dismissed the claims as “devoid of any credibility and legitimacy.” Similarly, Russia’s Embassy in Washington stated that it “respects the will of the American people.”
While Tuesday’s sanctions did not implicate China, the Treasury acknowledged a separate cybersecurity incident linked to China, describing it as “a major state-sponsored operation.” China has denied involvement in the breach.
The sanctions are part of a broader U.S. effort to counter foreign influence in its democratic processes and safeguard the integrity of its elections.
