Iran's Revolutionary Guard Told Americans to 'Remove' Their Leaders as Foreign Meddling Targets the Midterms
With the midterm elections set for Tuesday, America's adversaries are trying to get a word in, and one of them did not even bother to hide it.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps released an open letter to the American people in late September, urging voters to reject President Trump's policies and rethink Washington's confrontation with Tehran. IRGC spokesman Gen. Hossein Mohebbi presented the document at a news conference in Tehran. Reuters described it as 25 pages long, while other reports put it at 26.
Tehran's Message to American Voters
The letter urged Americans to oppose U.S. support for Israel and what the regime calls Washington's foreign wars. It claimed the two nations could live in peace if American foreign policy changed course.
"We can live together in peaceful coexistence," the IRGC wrote. Then it made its political aim plain: "Remove from power the evil, deceitful, and violent politicians who are responsible for America's current state." It added: "Entrust your affairs to the wise, not the wily."
It is an extraordinary spectacle. A military force designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization is lecturing American citizens on how to vote. The State Department dismissed the letter as a "smokescreen" meant to hide the damage done to Iran by U.S. military action.
Russia and China Are in the Game Too
Iran is not alone. U.S. intelligence officials and independent researchers say Russia, China and Iran are all expanding their use of artificial intelligence to spread misleading political content ahead of the vote, according to Bloomberg.
These operations use AI to churn out convincing posts, fake online personas and phony news stories. Unlike old-style propaganda, the new tools let a small team produce huge volumes of material, which makes the campaigns harder to catch before they reach voters.
Russia is reportedly the most aggressive player. Intelligence assessments suggest Russian-linked networks have worked to damage lawmakers who support Ukraine. China-linked efforts have focused on specific races tied to U.S.-China relations. Iranian operations have pushed narratives meant to make Americans doubt their own elections.
A New Front: AI Search and Chatbots
Researchers are especially worried about manipulation of AI-powered search tools. False claims can look more believable when an automated system repeats them, and one investigation found efforts to plant misleading material on websites so chatbots would pick it up.
AI companies say they have caught foreign actors misusing their products. OpenAI has reported Russian-linked activity that set up a fake research group to spread misleading claims about Ukraine, along with Iranian-linked operations that used AI to polish political commentary. Anthropic has also reported foreign attempts to use its technology for deceptive online networks.
Officials stress one key point: there is no evidence that these operations have compromised voting machines or changed any results. The Trump administration says it is committed to protecting election security, strengthening election infrastructure and prosecuting violations of federal election law.
The lesson for voters is straightforward. Be skeptical of viral claims, check where information comes from, and remember that the people trying hardest to shape American opinion this week include regimes that chant "Death to America." Tuesday's decision belongs to American citizens alone.