The US secret intervention in Iran’s internal affairs: Leaked documents
21.02
2025
Investigative journalist Kit Klarenberg’s article recently published on The Cradle reveals how the U.S. has continuously attempted to influence Iran’s internal affairs by funding opposition movements, civil society programs, and manipulating political processes. These initiatives are financed by the U.S. State Department’s Near East Regional Democracy (NERD) fund, whose primary objective is to destabilize the Iranian government and promote the establishment of a political regime subordinate to the West.
U.S. Secret Funding Programs
Leaked documents reveal that in 2023, the United States secretly issued a statement inviting private contractors and intelligence agencies, including the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and USAID, to submit programs aimed at developing Iran’s civil society, protecting human rights, and ultimately supporting efforts toward regime change.
These programs included:
Supporting civil activists,
Manipulating electoral processes,
Encouraging political engagement of women and minorities,
Establishing independent media and strengthening social media influence,
Expanding freedom of speech by subjecting Iran to an information war.
Although NED presents these programs as efforts to protect democratic values, Kit Klarenberg’s article highlights that their true objective is to provoke unrest in Iran by fostering an internal anti-government movement.
US Influence on Iran’s Electoral Process
Iran’s 2024 elections were seen as an excellent opportunity for Washington to steer public sentiment. The NERD program highlights that selected organizations should assist Iranians in organizing “independent” referendums, drafting civil “manifestos,” and raising the “flaws” of Iran’s electoral system.
In reality, these measures were not aimed at democratic reforms, but rather at manipulating the political process. The U.S. funded both campaigns encouraging participation and propaganda promoting an election boycott, depending on the circumstances.
Media Manipulation and Technological Support
Leaked documents indicate that the U.S. Department of State planned to promote the “diversity of censorship-free media.” This meant funding media initiatives that would openly criticize the Iranian government.
The key mechanisms of the information warfare included:
Spreading fake news: Manipulating information through social media and Western news outlets.
Anonymous propaganda platforms: U.S.-funded media projects disguised as “independent media.”
Technological support: Iranians were provided with secure communication tools, all under the surveillance of U.S. intelligence agencies.
These measures aimed to undermine Iran’s information security and increase Western influence within the country.
Funding of Opposition Clerics
Notably, under the NERD program, funding was allocated not only to activists and journalists but also to opposition lawyers and clerics.
Research documents reveal that NED financed the creation of “legal journals” targeting lawyers, law students, and religious figures, encouraging them to act as advocates for “democratic reforms.”
Objective
The goal was to foster anti-government sentiment within Iran’s legal system, enabling forces that act in Western interests to use this situation.
This reveals that the U.S. is not only targeting Iran’s political sphere but also its religious and judicial institutions, using clerics as instruments for change.
Secret Expenditures and U.S. ‘Red Lines’
Leaked documents indicate that certain expenses were explicitly prohibited, including:
Direct funding of specific political parties,
Financing operations of U.S.-based organizations,
Business projects,
Academic research,
Psychological and medical experiments on people.
The last point is particularly intriguing: whether similar “secret” programs have existed in the past that are unknown to the public.
Foreign Influence on the 2022 Protests
The 2022 protests in Iran initially began as a local uprising, but The Cradle’s investigation confirms that they were heavily influenced by Western funding.
Among the U.S.-backed propagandists was Masih Alinejad, a U.S.-based activist who received significant financial support for her anti-Iranian campaigns.
During this period, NED allocated approximately $1 million to fund “human rights” propaganda projects.
A number of Iranians, including opposition activists, later said that their movement had been “hijacked” by Western influence, which undermined trust within the protest movement.
Suspension of U.S. Programs and the Implications
In 2025, the NERD program was set to receive an additional $65 million; however, these funds have been suspended. This has placed Western-funded opposition groups in a difficult position, as they now face the risk of losing financial support.
This could mean that U.S. destabilization efforts in Iran may temporarily slow down. However, it remains unclear whether Washington will attempt to restore its influence through alternative means.
Conclusion
The leaked documents published by The Cradle confirm that the U.S. has been financing Iranian opposition movements for years to manipulate the country’s political landscape.
The U.S. has funded not only activists but also opposition lawyers and clerics who could infiltrate Iran’s state institutions.
The 2024 elections were seen as an opportunity to steer or disrupt Iran’s democratic processes.
Western-backed propaganda often undermines the legitimacy of Iranian opposition movements, triggering nationalist backlash.
The suspension of U.S. funding in 2025 may temporarily weaken its influence, but the question is whether this is a long-term shift or merely a pause.
