The US authorities has seized 33 web sites owned by the Iranian Islamic Radio and Television Union (IRTVU), in addition to three different websites owned by Iraqi-based Kata’ib Hizballah (KH), after the teams violated US sanctions, the Department of Justice said in a statement yesterday. Specifically, the DOJ accused the information websites of spreading disinformation, which brings to thoughts the October announcement from then Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, calling out Iran and Russia for utilizing misinformation to intrude with US elections. The seized websites embody Press TV, the English-language aspect of Iran’s state TV, and Palestine Today, which focuses on viewpoints from Islamic militant teams like Hamas, the Washington Post reports. 

The DOJ says the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had labeled IRTVU as a Specially Designated National (SDN) in October, on account of its direct ties to Iran. That label mainly prevents organizations from acquiring US providers and not using a license from OFAC. The DOJ notes that neither IRTVU or KH acquired OFAC licenses for the seized domains, though the domains have been owned by US corporations.

In October, the DOJ also announced that it seized 92 domains tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard, after saying they have been a part of a worldwide disinformation marketing campaign. it isn’t simply the US authorities making related claims both. In September, Microsoft additionally introduced that Iran, Russia and China have been behind persistent hacking makes an attempt meant to meddle with US elections.