U.S. imposes sanctions targeting Russia and Iran over 2024 election interference
CBSJan 01
US Sanctions Entities in Russia and Iran for Alleged 2024 Election Interference
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Above: The United States Dept. of the Treasury Headquarters on Nov. 24, 2024, in Washington, DC. Image copyright: Michael A. McCoy/Contributor/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The Facts
The US Dept. of the Treasury imposed sanctions on entities from Russia and Iran over what it said were attempts to interfere in the 2024 US presidential election through disinformation campaigns.
The sanctions target Iran's Cognitive Design Production Center, a subsidiary of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, and Russia's Center for Geopolitical Expertise (CGE), affiliated with the GRU military intelligence agency.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
These election manipulation operations are classic Russian and Iranian tactics, demonstrating these two countries' continued efforts to destabilize American democracy. The sole aims of these actions are to stoke tensions and sway voter opinion, a clear breach of US sovereignty. The use of sanctions is imperative not only to safeguard democratic institutions but also to send a strong message that future elections will remain free from foreign meddling.
Establishment-critical narrative
These sanctions are the latest example of the US and its allies labeling any online information they disagree with as so-called "election interference." Germany, for instance, recently accused Elon Musk of election interference because he supported the AfD Party. The US, meanwhile, smears Russia and Iran as part of an "Axis of Evil" to justify its policies, painting a simplistic picture to vilify non-Western regimes and control the world.
