An official website of the United States government Here’s how you know JUSTICE NEWS Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday June 22 2021 United States Seizes Websites Used by the Iranian Islamic Radio and Television Union and Kata’ib Hizballah Today pursuant to court orders the United States seized 33 websites used by the Iranian Islamic Radio and Television Union IRTVU and three websites operated by Kata’ib Hizballah KH in violation of U S sanctions On Oct 22 2020 the Office of Foreign Assets Control OFAC designated IRTVU as a Specially Designated National SDN for being owned or controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force IRGC SDNs are prohibited from obtaining services including website and domain services in the United States without an OFAC license OFAC’s announcement explained that components of the government of Iran to include IRTVU and others like it disguised as news organizations or media outlets targeted the United States  with disinformation campaigns and malign influence operations Thirty-three of the websites seized today were operated by IRTVU The 33 domains are owned by a United States company IRTVU did not obtain a license from OFAC prior to utilizing the domain names Three additional websites seized today were operated by KH On July 2 2009 OFAC designated KH an SDN and the Department of State designated KH a Foreign Terrorist Organization The announcements described KH as an Iraqi terrorist organization that committed directed supported or posed a significant risk of committing acts of violence against Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces OFAC further explained that the IRGC provides lethal support to KH and other Iraqi Shia militia groups who target and kill Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces The three domains operated by KH were owned by a United States company KH did not obtain a license from OFAC prior to utilizing the domain names These website seizures were investigated by the U S Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security Office of Export Enforcement and the FBI The National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section prosecuted the seizure Assistant Attorney General John C Demers for the Justice Department’s National Security Division Special Agent in Charge J C Chris Hacker of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Ariel Joshua Leinwand of the Bureau of Industry and Security Office of Export Enforcement’s Atlanta Office made the announcement The National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section is investigating this matter in coordination with the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division and Atlanta Field Office Topic s   Cyber Crime Counterintelligence and Export Control National Security Component s   Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI National Security Division NSD Updated June 22 2021