US Cracks Down on Iran and Russia for Election Interference

The United States has imposed sanctions on entities in Iran and Russia for alleged interference in the 2024 U.S. election. The Treasury Department accuses these entities of using disinformation to influence American voters and incite socio-political tension. Iran and Russia reportedly employed AI to amplify these efforts.

The United States on Tuesday announced sanctions targeting entities in Iran and Russia, accusing them of meddling in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The U.S. Treasury Department identified these entities, including a branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and a Russia-related organization, as attempting to disrupt American democracy through disinformation campaigns.

According to Treasury's Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Bradley Smith, both Iran and Russia have aimed to divide the American populace and influence electoral outcomes via these targeted campaigns. The U.S. has pledged to remain vigilant against such threats, though no immediate response came from Iran's UN mission or Russia's Washington embassy.

The sanctions come amid heightened concerns following the election victory of Republican Donald Trump over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Investigations reveal that the Cognitive Design Production Center and Moscow-based Center for Geopolitical Expertise orchestrated these influence operations using AI, thereby spreading misinformation about candidates and even generating deepfakes.

(With inputs from agencies.)