State Department: We're responsible for Russian, Iranian text message campaign

This August 6, 2020 screenshot shows a text message sent to an Iranian cell phone user promising up to $10 million for information about anyone planning to interfere in the American election. Handout via REUTERS

(Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Friday that it was responsible for a text message campaign that left a trail of confusion and ridicule across Russia and Iran.

In an email, a spokesperson for the department said the unsolicited text messages - which promoted a multimillion dollar bounty for information about cyber threats to the upcoming U.S. election - were aimed at building awareness internationally.