The U.S. Treasury Department has issued sanctions against five Iranian entities that are allegedly trying to influence the November 3 election. According to the Department, Iranian entities are posing as news organizations or media outlets to spread disinformation and propaganda in the United States.
According to US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Iranian entities are using false narratives and other misleading material in an attempt to influence the upcoming US elections. Mnuchin also added that the current US administration is committed to ensuring the integrity of the country's electoral system and will continue to counter the efforts of any foreign actor that threatens its electoral processes.
The Iranian entities allegedly attempting to interfere in the US elections are the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), the Bayan Rasaneh Gostar Institute (Bayan Gostar), the Islamic Radio and Television Union (IRTVU), and the International Union of Virtual Media (IUVM), which have been accused of directly or indirectly participating in, sponsoring, covering up, or abetting foreign interference in this year's presidential election.
According to the Treasury Department, Bayan Gostar, IRTVU, and IUVM conducted a series of influence operations targeting the population. IUVM also spread conspiracy theories and disinformation surrounding the global COVID-19. Meanwhile, various IRGC-QF outlets reportedly amplified false narratives and published propaganda, such as articles, cartoons, and memes, aimed at sowing discord among the American public.
The sanctions block assets of Iranian entities in the US and bar American citizens from doing business with them. The sanctions follow a series of reports that Iran is trying to sow discord ahead of the election, with senior government officials accusing Iran of being behind a “wave” of emails sent to voters earlier this week. Impersonating the violent extremist group “Proud Boys,” the emails threatened registered Democratic voters with consequences if they did not vote for Trump . As ZDNet reports, the senders claimed to have gained access to the entire voting infrastructure.
Additionally, Twitter said earlier this month that it had removed about 130 accounts linked to Iran from its platform as they attempted to interfere in the public Trump- Biden.
