U.S. imposes sanctions on Russian and Iranian groups over disinformation targeting American voters

Wed Jan 01 01:53:42 UTC 2025: ## US Imposes Sanctions on Russian and Iranian Groups for Election Interference

**Washington, D.C. – January 1, 2025** – The United States Treasury Department announced sanctions against two organizations, one Russian and one Iranian, accused of spreading disinformation to interfere in the 2024 US presidential election. The sanctions target the Moscow-based Center for Geopolitical Expertise and the Cognitive Design Production Center, a subsidiary of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

According to US officials, the Russian group, under the direction of an individual who worked closely with Russian military intelligence, created deepfake videos, fake news websites, and even paid US web companies to generate pro-Russian content. This disinformation campaign aimed to manipulate voters and undermine confidence in the election. US intelligence suggests Russia sought to support Donald Trump’s candidacy.

The Iranian group, designated a foreign terrorist organization, allegedly worked to incite political tensions in the US, potentially linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Iran also faces accusations of hacking US officials. US intelligence suggests Iran opposed Trump’s candidacy.

Both Russia and Iran deny interfering in the election. The sanctions represent a significant US response to allegations of foreign interference in the democratic process. The Treasury’s acting undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, Bradley T. Smith, stated that both governments attempted to sow division amongst Americans. The sanctions target the organizations’ assets and personnel involved in the alleged operations.