ISD research shows that Ireland has become a target for foreign state actor information operations stemming from Iran, Russia and China.

The Times and Irish Independent recently covered ISD’s research extensively and spoke to Senior Analyst Ciarán O’Connor about his research on X accounts identified as part of an Iranian information campaigns targeting Ireland.

Ciarán highlighted that the X accounts identified as part of this influence campaign used typical Irish names and claimed to be students or graduates based in Belfast. 

“This activity is very similar to previous Iranian influence campaigns which supported Scottish independence. They are all aimed at creating polarisation and destabilising places in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Promoting Irish reunification was an attempt to use the issue as a mask to promote the Iranian regime,” Ciarán told The Times. 

Ciarán also explained to Irish Independent that while the accounts’ achieved minimal engagement, their existence is representative a larger, more problematic trend. 

“Nevertheless, it is significant that a likely state-affiliated information operation identified Ireland as a viable target, operated impersonator accounts from Northern Ireland for over 18 months, and spent this time testing narratives and attempting to manipulate political discourse on and about the island.”

Ciarán also wrote an op-ed for The Irish Times discussing this subject, highlighting the additional threats of Russia and China as state actors targeting Ireland in their information operations. 

The full articles are available on The Times, Irish Independent and The Irish Times.