The United States has imposed sanctions on organizations in Russia and Iran for attempting to meddle in the 2024 presidential election, citing efforts to create socio-political discord and influence voters.
The Treasury Department announced the sanctions on Tuesday, targeting groups that leveraged advanced disinformation tactics to disrupt the democratic process.
One sanctioned entity, the Moscow-based Center for Geopolitical Expertise, reportedly has connections to Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU). The organization established its own AI-driven server infrastructure to bypass foreign web-hosting services that might hinder its operations. These tools enabled the rapid creation and dissemination of disinformation through a network of at least 100 fake online news outlets. The group also funneled funds to U.S.-based companies to maintain its AI systems and further its campaign.
Among its disinformation efforts, the Russian organization manipulated a video to falsely accuse a 2024 vice presidential candidate. In October, the U.S. specifically accused Russia of producing a doctored video aimed at smearing Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, Tim Walz.
The sanctions also targeted the Cognitive Design Production Center, a subsidiary of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The center has been accused of planning election interference efforts since at least 2023. This comes after the Department of Justice indicted Iranian nationals for cyberattacks on President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign. Additionally, OpenAI revealed it had banned ChatGPT accounts linked to an Iranian influence operation during the same period.
Bradley Smith, Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, commented, “The Governments of Iran and Russia have targeted our election processes and institutions and sought to divide the American people through targeted disinformation campaigns.”
These sanctions underscore ongoing efforts by the U.S. government to protect its electoral integrity against foreign interference.
