American officials seized 36 news website domains linked to Iran’s government for spreading disinformation as part of a propaganda campaign, the Department of Justice said Tuesday.
Why it matters: The action comes at a time of heightened tension between the two countries, with Iran’s hardline President-elect Ebrahim Raisi on Monday ruling out negotiating over missiles or meeting with President Biden as the two nations hold talks on returning Tehran to the 2015 nuclear deal.
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Driving the news: The DOJ said in an emailed statement it took action against 33 websites used by the Iranian Islamic Radio and Television Union and three others operated by the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia.
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The domains are owned by American companies, but the sites didn’t obtain licenses from the U.S. government, “in violation of U.S. sanctions,” according to the Justice Department.
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