Iran-Linked Network Found Spreading Propaganda on U.S. Social Media, Report Reveals

A sophisticated network of social media accounts with links to Iran has been actively spreading propaganda across major U.S. platforms, according to a comprehensive investigation released Wednesday by cybersecurity researchers.

The operation, which researchers have tracked for over two years, employed dozens of fake accounts on platforms including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram to disseminate content that frequently criticized U.S. foreign policy while promoting Iranian government narratives.

“This represents one of the more persistent influence campaigns we’ve documented in recent years,” said Marcus Carey, lead investigator at the digital security firm that authored the report. “What makes it particularly concerning is how effectively these accounts mimicked authentic American users while pushing narratives aligned with Iranian state interests.”

The network primarily targeted American audiences by creating personas that appeared to be U.S. citizens with diverse political leanings. Account profiles featured stock images of ordinary Americans, complete with fabricated biographies describing them as veterans, journalists, or concerned citizens. Several accounts accumulated followers in the thousands before being identified.

Content shared by these accounts often focused on U.S. military involvement in the Middle East, sanctions against Iran, and Israeli-Palestinian relations. Posts frequently criticized U.S. policy in these areas while amplifying messaging that aligned with Tehran’s official positions.

The investigation revealed sophisticated coordination between accounts, with similar talking points and content being shared across multiple platforms within hours of each other. This pattern indicates a centralized operation rather than independent actors, according to experts familiar with Iranian influence operations.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, confirmed it had removed several dozen accounts connected to the network for violating its policies against coordinated inauthentic behavior. A spokesperson stated that the company had been working with external researchers to identify and dismantle such operations.

“Protecting our platforms from foreign influence operations remains a priority,” the Meta spokesperson said. “While these actors continuously adapt their tactics, our detection capabilities have also evolved significantly.”

X has not yet issued a formal response regarding accounts identified in the report. According to researchers, several of the flagged accounts on the platform remained active at the time of publication.

This campaign represents part of a broader pattern of Iranian information operations targeting Western audiences. Since 2018, multiple security firms and government agencies have documented similar efforts, though the sophistication of these operations has increased significantly.

Thomas Reynolds, a former intelligence analyst now working with a Washington-based think tank, noted that Iran has invested considerably in its digital influence capabilities over the past decade.

“What we’re seeing now reflects a maturation of Iran’s approach to information warfare,” Reynolds explained. “Unlike earlier, more obvious propaganda efforts, these operations are designed to blend seamlessly into American social discourse and exploit existing political divisions.”

The report comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, particularly regarding nuclear negotiations and regional conflicts in the Middle East. Both countries have accused each other of information warfare and election interference in recent years.

U.S. intelligence officials have previously warned that Iran, along with Russia and China, poses significant threats in the information space. A senior official from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that government agencies are actively monitoring such influence operations as part of broader election security efforts.

The researchers emphasized that identifying and countering such campaigns requires collaboration between government agencies, technology companies, and independent researchers. They also recommended that social media users exercise increased skepticism toward emotionally charged political content, particularly from accounts with limited posting history or suspicious patterns of activity.

Despite the removal of accounts identified in this report, experts caution that influence operations continue to evolve in response to detection efforts. The report concludes that similar campaigns are likely already rebuilding their presence using new tactics to avoid detection.