In a statement on Tuesday, US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines revealed that Iran is covertly attempting to stoke protests in the United States related to the conflict in Gaza. Haines stated that Iran is posing as activists online and, in some cases, providing financial support to protesters.
Haines emphasized that Americans participating in protests are expressing their views in good faith. She urged Americans to remain vigilant when interacting online with accounts and actors they do not personally know, as they may be unknowingly receiving support from a foreign government.
US officials believe that Iran, despite past support for Hamas, is trying to avoid a prolonged direct conflict with Israel. However, Iran continues to seek ways to extract costs from the US and Israel.
The conflict in Gaza has sparked protests across the United States, particularly on college campuses, where some Americans are expressing horror at the civilian casualties caused by Israel as it targets Hamas. These protests have become divisive domestically, making them a target for foreign actors like Iran who are interested in amplifying discord within the US.
US officials, including Haines, have warned about Iran’s increasing aggression in foreign influence efforts. Recent Iranian government actors have opportunistically tried to take advantage of ongoing protests related to the war in Gaza.
A US intelligence assessment from December revealed that Iran also attempted to interfere in the 2022 midterm elections. Tehran sought to exploit social divisions and undermine confidence in US democratic institutions, but its efforts were limited by competing priorities, including managing internal unrest.
Previous reports have shown that operatives working for the Iranian government produced fake, AI-generated content as part of a campaign to influence US voters during the 2020 election campaign.
