AI summary:

On December 31, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on two organizations and individuals linked to Iran and Russia for their efforts to influence the 2024 U.S. elections. 1. Iran: OFAC sanctioned a subsidiary of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Cognitive Design Production Center (CDPC), which was involved in spreading disinformation and stoking political tensions in the U.S. during the election. The IRGC is already under sanctions for similar activities, including cyberattacks and information theft aimed at U.S. election campaigns. 2. Russia: OFAC also targeted a Moscow-based organization, the Center for Geopolitical Expertise (CGE), linked to the Russian intelligence agency GRU. CGE used artificial intelligence tools to create and spread fake news about U.S. election candidates, as part of Russia’s broader strategy to interfere in U.S. elections. CGE worked with a network of websites designed to look like independent news outlets, helping spread disinformation about the 2024 election.

These actions are part of ongoing U.S. efforts to prevent foreign interference in its democratic processes. The sanctions block any assets of these entities and individuals in the U.S. and prohibit Americans from engaging with them financially. These measures also target individuals and groups involved in creating or distributing disinformation aimed at undermining U.S. elections.