WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States has imposed sanctions connected 2 groups linked to Iranian and Russian efforts to target American voters pinch disinformation up of this year’s election.
Treasury officials announced nan sanctions Tuesday, alleging that nan 2 organizations sought to stoke divisions among Americans earlier November’s vote. U.S. intelligence has accused some governments of spreading disinformation, including clone videos, news stories and societal media posts, designed to manipulate voters and undermine spot successful U.S. elections.
“The governments of Iran and Russia person targeted our predetermination processes and institutions and sought to disagreement nan American group done targeted disinformation campaigns,” Bradley T. Smith, Treasury’s acting undersecretary for coercion and financial intelligence, said successful a statement.
Authorities said nan Russian group, nan Moscow-based Center for Geopolitical Expertise, oversaw nan creation, financing and dissemination of disinformation astir American candidates, including deepfake videos created utilizing artificial intelligence.
In summation to nan group itself, nan caller sanctions use to its director, who authorities opportunity worked intimately pinch Russian subject intelligence agents besides overseeing cyberattacks and sabotage against nan West.
Authorities opportunity nan halfway utilized AI to quickly manufacture clone videos astir American candidates created scores of clone news websites designed to look morganatic and moreover paid U.S. web companies to create pro-Russian content.
The Iranian group, nan Cognitive Design Production Center, is simply a subsidiary of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, U.S. officials said, which nan United States has designated a overseas violent organization. Officials opportunity nan halfway worked since astatine slightest 2023 to incite governmental tensions successful nan United States.
U.S. intelligence agencies person blamed nan Iranian authorities for seeking to promote protests successful nan U.S. complete Israel’s warfare against Hamas successful Gaza. Iran besides has been accused of hacking into nan accounts of respective apical existent and erstwhile U.S. officials, including senior members of Donald Trump’s campaign.
In nan months up of nan election, U.S. intelligence officials said Russia, Iran and China each sought to undermine assurance successful U.S. democracy. They besides concluded that Russia sought to prop up nan eventual victor Trump, who has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggested cutting costs to Ukraine and many times criticized nan NATO subject alliance.
Iran, meanwhile, sought to reason Trump’s candidacy, officials said. The president-elect’s first management ended a atomic woody pinch Iran, reimposed sanctions and ordered nan killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, an enactment prompting Iran’s leaders to vow revenge.
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Russian and Iranian officials person rejected claims that they sought to power nan result of nan 2024 election.
“Russia has not and does not interfere pinch nan soul affairs of different countries,” a spokesperson for Russia’s embassy successful Washington wrote successful an email Tuesday.
A connection near pinch officials from Iran was not instantly returned Tuesday.