UPDATE 1-U.S. expected to sanction Russia over alleged election meddling -CNN

Adds details of intelligence report

WASHINGTON, March 16 (Reuters) - The United States is expected to unveil sanctions on Russia as soon as next week over its alleged meddling in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, CNN reported on Tuesday.

Iran will also likely face sanctions, CNN reported, citing anonymous U.S. officials.

U.S. intelligence officials said in a report released on Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin knew of and likely directed a Russian effort to manipulate the U.S. presidential campaign to benefit former President Donald Trump with “misleading or unsubstantiated allegations” against challenger Joe Biden.

The assessment was made in a 15-page report into election interference released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. It underscored allegations that Trump’s allies played into Moscow’s hands by amplifying claims made against Biden by Russian-linked Ukrainian figures in the run-up to the Nov. 3 election. Biden, a Democrat, defeated Trump, a Republican, and became president on Jan. 20. nL1N2LE1ZI

Asked about the report, a Biden administration official, requesting anonymity, said the president had "been clear" that the United States would respond to destablizing Russian actions.

"You’ve already seen us take a number of actions in response to Russia’s use of a chemical weapon in the attempted murder of Alexei Navalny," the official said, referring to a Russian opposition leader. "There will be more soon."

(Reporting by Eric Beech and Jan Wolfe; Additional reporting by Adnrea Shalal; Editing by Tim Ahmann and Lisa Shumaker)

((eric.beech@thomsonreuters.com; 202-898-8322; Reuters Messaging: eric.beech.reuters.com@reuters.net))