U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Iran and Russia for Alleged Election Interference

The United States has imposed sanctions on entities in Iran and Russia, accusing them of attempting to interfere in the 2024 U.S. election. The U.S. Treasury Department claims that two groups, one linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the other to Russia's military intelligence (GRU), have been actively trying to stir up political tensions and influence voters in the upcoming election.

According to Treasury official Bradley Smith, Iran and Russia have targeted U.S. election systems and spread false information with the aim of dividing Americans. He emphasized that the U.S. will remain vigilant in protecting its democracy from such interference.

Russia's embassy in Washington has denied any involvement, stating that President Vladimir Putin respects the American people's choices and calling the accusations baseless. Iran's representatives at the United Nations have not responded to requests for comment.

The Treasury Department specifically accuses Iran's Cognitive Design Production Center of planning campaigns to sow discord among U.S. voters since 2023. Meanwhile, Russia's Center for Geopolitical Expertise (CGE) is alleged to have spread fake news about election candidates, including the creation of deepfakes. One such video falsely accused a vice-presidential candidate, though the specific individual was not identified.

The GRU is believed to have funded these efforts, assisting CGE in building a network of 100 fake news websites using artificial intelligence (AI). The U.S. has imposed sanctions on CGE's director in response to these activities.

A U.S. report from October 2023 warned of increasing threats from Russia, Iran, and China using AI to spread disinformation and harmful content in elections. The recent sanctions against these entities underscore the seriousness of these threats and the U.S. commitment to countering them.