US sanctions IRGC-linked entity over 2024 election meddling

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on entities in Iran and Russia, accusing them of orchestrating campaigns to meddle in the 2024 US presidential election.

The Iranian entity sanctioned is the Cognitive Design Production Center, a subsidiary of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), which planned influence operations since at least 2023, according to the US Treasury.

"The Governments of Iran and Russia have targeted our election processes and institutions and sought to divide the American people through targeted disinformation campaigns," said Bradley Smith, Treasury's Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.

“The United States will remain vigilant against adversaries who would undermine our democracy,” he added.

The new measure comes in the wake of Donald Trump taking office as US president. The president-elect has promised to resume his maximum pressure campaign against Iran.

In October, the Treasury sanctioned seven agents working for the Islamic Republic for their efforts to influence the US presidential elections in 2020 and 2024. Before that, the treasury had designated Emennet Pasargad, believed to be the key component of IRGC’s cyber operation.

Findings by cybersecurity researcher Nariman Gharib and whistleblower group Lab Dookhtegan has underscored the role of Emennet Pasargad that, according to their joint report, carried out a campaign to “disrupt and incite tension in the elections, particularly in swing states.”

The measure announced on the last day of 2024 also includes the Moscow-based Center for Geopolitical Expertise (CGE), which the Treasury says circulated disinformation about candidates in the election and directed and subsidized the creation of deepfakes.

The CGE also manipulated a video to produce "baseless accusations concerning a 2024 vice presidential candidate," the US Treasury said without naming the targeted candidate.

"We remain committed to promoting accountability for those who seek to undermine our democratic institutions," the US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller posted on X.