US sanctions 6 Iran nationals, one entity for interfering in 2020 elections

The US sanctioned six Iran nationals and one Iranian entity for their efforts to interfere in the 2020 presidential elections, the Treasury Department said on Thursday.

“The United States identified attempted cyber-enabled intrusions by state-sponsored actors, including Iranian actors who sought to sow discord and undermine voters’ faith in the US electoral process,” a statement from the Treasury Department read. “The actors also disseminated disinformation on social media and sent threatening emails as well as a fraudulent video.”

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The Iranian cyber company Emennet Pasargad was the leader of the efforts, according to the Treasury Department. Emennet was previously designated under its former name, Net Peygard Samavat Company, in 2019 for assisting or providing support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Electronic Warfare and Cyber Defense Organization (IRGC-EWCD).

“The company rebranded itself to evade US sanctions and continue its disruptive cyber operations against the United States,” the Treasury Department said.

Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said the latest batch of sanctions underscored the US government’s commitment to hold “state-sponsored actors accountable for attempting to undermine public confidence in the electoral process and US institutions.”

For his part, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington took “decisive and disruptive action against those seeking to interfere with the sanctity of our elections.”

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