In a significant move against foreign interference in U.S. democratic processes, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on several entities linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) for their roles in attempting to influence the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The latest sanctions, announced Monday, target two organizations: the Cognitive Design Production Center (CDPC), a subsidiary of the IRGC, and the Moscow-based Center for Geopolitical Expertise (CGE), affiliated with the GRU. These entities are accused of spearheading covert influence operations designed to sow political discord, manipulate public opinion, and disrupt the upcoming election.
In the summer of 2024, a collaborative statement from the U.S. government revealed that Iran was attempting to create division and erode trust in the democratic institutions of the United States. The U.S government also argues, the Iranian government employed social engineering tactics and other strategies to target individuals closely connected to the presidential campaigns of both political parties. These actions, which involved the theft and release of private information, aimed to sway the U.S. electoral process.
Bradley T. Smith, Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, condemned the actions of both Tehran and Moscow. He stated, “The Governments of Iran and Russia have targeted our election processes and institutions and sought to divide the American people through targeted disinformation campaigns,” adding that the U.S. would continue to be vigilant against such efforts.
The sanctions against the CDPC are based on its direct ties to the IRGC, which has a history of using cyber and other covert means to influence global political systems. According to Treasury officials, the CDPC began its operations in 2023 to influence the 2024 U.S. election, seeking to increase political polarization through disinformation tactics.
Meanwhile, the GRU-linked CGE has been using advanced artificial intelligence tools to create and spread deepfake videos and fabricated news stories designed to manipulate public opinion. OFAC noted that CGE had coordinated these efforts with a GRU unit overseeing sabotage, political interference, and cyberwarfare operations against the West. The group’s disinformation campaign is said to involve a vast network of at least 100 websites that imitate legitimate news outlets to spread misleading content.
These actions are part of a broader U.S. effort to combat foreign interference in elections. Since 2021, sanctions have been imposed on numerous Iranian and Russian entities involved in election meddling. Last year, the U.S. government revealed that Iran had used social engineering and cyber tactics to access sensitive data from individuals connected to both major U.S. political parties. This was followed by sanctions against key figures, including an Iranian national linked to the IRGC who compromised officials’ accounts.
The sanctions prohibit U.S. persons and entities from engaging in any transactions with the designated individuals and organizations. Additionally, any entities owned or controlled by the sanctioned parties will also be blocked. These moves are aimed at isolating these foreign actors from the global financial system and sending a clear message about the U.S. commitment to protecting its electoral integrity.
As of Monday’s announcement, all property and interests tied to these designated entities will be blocked under U.S. law, and violations of these sanctions can lead to enforcement actions. Treasury officials emphasized that the purpose of the sanctions is not punitive but aimed at fostering positive behavioral changes from the sanctioned entities.
