The United States has imposed sanctions on two organisations linked to Iran and Russia, accusing them of spreading false information about presidential candidates and funding the creation of manipulated images and videos using deepfake technology.
Sanctions were also placed on the director of the group, who officials said worked closely with Russian military intelligence and oversaw cyberattacks and sabotage against the West.
The Treasury Department also singled out the Iranian “Cognitive Design Production Centre,” a group tied to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. This group had reportedly been planning influence operations since 2023.
US officials also accused Iran of trying to stir up protests in the US over Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Iran has also been blamed for cyberattacks targeting US officials, including key members of Donald Trump’s election campaign.
Leading up to the election, US intelligence agencies found that Russia, Iran, and China all tried to weaken trust in American democracy. Russia appeared to back Trump’s campaign, while Iran was thought to oppose him.
During his presidency, Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, reimposed sanctions, and ordered the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, which led to threats of retaliation from Tehran.
Both Russian and Iranian officials have denied any involvement in interfering with the 2024 election.
