US Justice Department disrupts Iranian cyber‑enabled psychological operations
The United States Department of Justice said on Thursday it had seized four internet domains linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), in a court‑approved effort to disrupt “cyber‑enabled psychological operations” and transnational repression activities.
The move comes amid allegations that Tehran uses online platforms to post stolen data, claim hacking attacks, and incite violence against journalists, dissidents, and Israeli individuals, DOJ said in a statement.
The Justice Department said the seized websites had been used to further psychological operations targeting perceived adversaries of the Iranian regime, including by publishing sensitive information obtained through hacks and encouraging attacks against critics.
The operation highlights growing US concerns over Tehran’s use of cyber tools not only for espionage and disruption but also to influence and intimidate foreign audiences and civil society actors, in line with what officials describe as a broader pattern of malign Iranian cyber activity.








