Iranian intelligence officials are helping to pay for anti-Israel protests that have erupted in the United States and are posing as activists to stoke discord during a U.S. election year, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines said Tuesday.
She said Tehran is increasingly aggressive in trying to influence the United States and other countries to undermine confidence in democratic institutions. The statement about Iranian meddling in the protests over the war in the Gaza Strip is the first of what the DNI says will be regular updates on such threats.
Anti-Israel protests in the wake of the bloody Israeli clash with Hamas Palestinian militants in Gaza have sprung up on college campuses across the country, raising questions of free speech, behavior codes and antisemitism in their wake.
“In recent weeks, Iranian government actors have sought to opportunistically take advantage of ongoing protests regarding the war in Gaza, using a playbook we’ve seen other actors use over the years,” Ms. Haines said. “We have observed actors tied to Iran’s government posing as activists online, seeking to encourage protests, and even providing financial support to protesters.”
Iranian intelligence officials are using social media platforms to adapt their cyber and influence-peddling activities as they have done in the past, including during prior election cycles, Ms. Haines said.
“It is likely they will continue to rely on their intelligence services in these efforts, as well as Iran-based online influencers, to promote their narratives,” she said.
The intelligence they’ve gathered about Iran’s malign activities doesn’t mean all those protesting the war in the Gaza Strip are under Tehran’s control, Ms. Haines was quick to note.
“I know Americans who participate in protests are, in good faith, expressing their views on the conflict in Gaza — this intelligence does not indicate otherwise,” she said. “The freedom to express diverse views, when done peacefully, is essential to our democracy. But, it is also important to warn of foreign actors who seek to exploit our debate for their own purposes.”
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s most powerful spiritual and political figure, has said the protesters in the U.S. are on the “right side of history” and offer a glimmer of hope to those who oppose Israel.
“You have now formed a branch of the resistance front and have begun an honorable struggle in the face of your government’s ruthless pressure,” the ayatollah said on X. “The United States became the greatest supporter of” Israel.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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