Avril Haines Intelligence Chief Accuses Iran Of Secretly Trying To Trigger Gaza Conflict Protests In The United States

US National Intelligence Director Avril Haines addressed the Defense Intelligence Service. (Wikimedia Commons/US Deputy Secretary of Defense/Kathleen H. Hicks)

JAKARTA - National Intelligence Director Avril Haines said in a statement Tuesday that Iran was quietly trying to spark protests regarding the Gaza conflict in the United States.

Haines said the effort was carried out disguised as an online activist, while in some cases it provided financial support to protesters.

"I want to make it clear that I know Americans participating in the protests, in good faith, expressing their views on the conflict in Gaza this intelligence does not show the opposite," Haines said, quoted by CNN July 10.

"Americans targeted by Iran's campaign may not be aware that they are interacting with or receiving support from foreign governments," he continued.

"We urge all Americans to remain vigilant as they interact online with accounts and actors they don't know personally," Haines urged.

He further explained that Iran, although previously supporting the Palestinian militant group Hamas, had sought to adjust its response to Israeli attacks on Gaza, in order to avoid prolonged direct conflict between the two countries.

However, Iran continues to take advantage of Uncle Sam and Israel's country.

Conflicts in Gaza have sparked protests across the United States, particularly on campuses, where some Americans have expressed horror over the scale of civilian casualties caused by Israel as the country seeks to eradicate Hamas, which carried out an attack on October 7 in southern Israel.

These protests have been very divisive in the country, making them easy targets for foreign actors.

US officials, including Haines, have publicly warned that Iran has become "intimately aggressive in their foreign influence efforts."

In recent weeks, "Iranian government actors have sought to opportunistically take advantage of ongoing protests related to the war in Gaza," Haines said.

Earlier, a US intelligence assessment released in December reported Iran was also trying to interfere in the 2022 part-time elections. Tehran, he said, seeks to exploit the social divisions felt and undermine confidence in US democratic institutions, but its efforts are limited by competing priorities, including the need to manage internal unrest.