Europol says a coordinated international operation targeting Iranian extremist propaganda networks led to the identification of more than 14,200 online posts and links connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated militant groups.
The operation was led by Europol’s EU Internet Referral Unit and involved law enforcement agencies from 19 countries, including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and the United States. The crackdown focused on extremist content spread through social media platforms, streaming services, blogs, and standalone websites.
According to Europol, the propaganda ecosystem was tied to Iran’s IRGC, which the European Union formally designated as a terrorist organization earlier this year. Investigators said the network distributed content in multiple languages, including Persian, Arabic, English, French, Spanish, and Bahasa Indonesia.
Authorities said the propaganda included ideological speeches, recruitment material, AI-generated videos glorifying militant activity, religious messaging tied to martyrdom, and calls for retaliation connected to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The investigation also uncovered links to allied groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ansar Allah, and Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia. Europol said these organizations amplified each other’s content through interconnected websites and social media accounts designed to rapidly spread extremist messaging online.
One of the most visible actions during the operation involved blocking the IRGC’s primary X account inside the European Union. The account reportedly had more than 150,000 followers before restrictions were imposed. Thousands of additional links and accounts were either removed or remain under review by online platforms.
Investigators said the operation revealed a broad infrastructure network supporting the propaganda campaign. According to Europol, IRGC-linked content was hosted through providers operating across several jurisdictions, including Russia and the United States.
Authorities also identified cryptocurrency transactions allegedly used to finance online operations and maintain propaganda infrastructure. Europol said extremist organizations increasingly rely on crypto payments to bypass traditional financial monitoring systems and obscure operational funding.
Spain reportedly played a major role in the investigation through its National Illegal Content Removal Unit, which identified roughly 4,700 extremist links tied to the operation.
The coordinated action took place between February 13 and April 28, 2026, and marks one of the largest Europol-led operations focused specifically on online propaganda linked to Iranian extremist groups.
Europol warned that extremist organizations continue adapting their digital tactics by using AI-generated media, multilingual distribution strategies, decentralized hosting infrastructure, and mainstream social media platforms to expand their reach. The agency said sustained international cooperation remains necessary to limit the spread of online radicalization and extremist recruitment campaigns.