Biden’s Director of National Intelligence Warns Iran Funding Pro-Palestinian Protesters In the United States

AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines released a statement on Tuesday saying that the U.S. government believes that Iran has provided funding for pro-Palestinian protests in the United States.

“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,” Haines’s statement read, adding:

We have observed actors tied to Iran’s government posing as activists online, seeking to encourage protests, and even providing financial support to protesters.

I want to be clear that 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. Moreover, 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.

Haines’s statement did not detail where the Iranian funding may have gone or if specific groups or protests received it. Iran funds proxy groups throughout the Middle East, including Hamas, which brutally attacked Israel on October 7th sparking the ongoing conflict. Iran also funds Hezbollah in Lebanon, which many observers believe may soon be in an all-out war with Israel as tensions continue to mount.

“Americans who are being targeted by this Iranian campaign may not be aware that they are interacting with or receiving support from a foreign government. We urge all Americans to remain vigilant as they engage online with accounts and actors they do not personally know,” she concluded.

Read the full statement here.

Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com