X takes down Iranian-linked accounts targeting US politics ahead of midterm elections

• X says it suspended more than 13,000 accounts across three suspected foreign influence operations linked to Iran, Russia, and China ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections.
• The platform did not disclose how many accounts were linked to Iran or provide specific details about the suspected Iranian operation.

Social media platform X says it has suspended more than 13,000 accounts across three suspected foreign influence operations linked to Iran, Russia, and China, including networks targeting political discussions in the United States ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

People come to X to talk about what's happening in the world, including the upcoming 2026 US midterms. Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and we are proud that X is the global town square where these debates happen. Our job is to keep that conversation authentic, open, and safe. To ensure these fundamental values are protected during elections, our Safety team uses a variety of detection methods to proactively find and act on activity that breaks the X Rules. These measures build on the safety protections we run 24/7, year-round. X's Authenticity Policy is particularly important to this work. Whether it is spam networks or entities engaged in influence operations, we are actively working to identify and stop coordinated inauthentic behavior that undermines the integrity of our platform. 
Through proactive sweeps and investigations, X recently identified and suspended more than 13,000 accounts involved in three suspected foreign influence operations linked to Iran, Russia, and China that targeted US political conversation. The networks used inauthentic accounts to post and amplify content about US politics, targeting candidates and public figures across the political spectrum.
 X's Civic Integrity policy addresses misleading content that could affect participation in elections or other civic processes. This includes content that may confuse people about how, when, or where to participate, or that aims to discourage participation. X relies on Community Notes, which let people add context and credible sources, alongside platform moderation. Users can report content under "Civic Integrity" in our in-app reporting flow, and their submission will be routed to request a Community Note, a collaborative way to add helpful context to posts and keep people better informed. Additionally, in critical escalations, X may apply a Civic Integrity label to posts that violate our policy. We remain committed to X as a global town square where people openly debate topics of public interest and engage with election-related information. Our work continues through Election Day and beyond. See our Civic Integrity Policy for more information: https://t.co/FJFuvEC9RE

— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) October 14, 2026

In a statement posted on X, the company’s Global Government Affairs team said the networks used fake accounts to publish and amplify political content targeting candidates and public figures across the political spectrum.

The company did not specify how many of the suspended accounts were linked to Iran or provide further details about the suspected Iranian operation.

X said it was working to identify and disrupt networks using inauthentic accounts to influence discussions on the platform.

“Whether it is spam networks or entities engaged in influence operations, we are actively working to identify and stop coordinated inauthentic behavior that undermines the integrity of our platform,” the company said.

The announcement comes ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, when control of Congress will be at stake.

Foreign influence operations have been a recurring concern for US authorities and technology companies during election campaigns, with investigations focusing on attempts to manipulate political debate through coordinated online activity.

X’s statement did not provide evidence detailing the specific tactics or political messages used by the suspected Iran-linked accounts.