Iran’s parliament approved a bill on Sunday that criminalizes interviews and other communications with media outlets considered hostile to Tehran, specifically targeting US and Israeli media as well as those funded by these countries. The legislation, which still requires approval from the Guardian Council before becoming law, prohibits participation in interviews or discussions with such media, with violations punishable by imprisonment ranging from six months to two years.
Additionally, the bill mandates that interviews with other foreign media must be reported to the intelligence ministry. Unauthorized contact with foreign embassies, offices of international organizations, or other non-Iranian entities without prior notification and written consent from the foreign ministry would result in fines and the loss of certain social rights.
The legislation also introduces harsher penalties for economic crimes committed under foreign supervision, bans sharing information with foreigners without intelligence ministry approval, and restricts scientific collaboration with foreign institutions to an approved list only. It further criminalizes policy or legislative proposals influenced by foreign intelligence services that threaten Iran’s security or independence, with potential prison sentences of up to 30 years. Such cases would be adjudicated by Revolutionary Courts.
Notably, this is not the first instance of Iran criminalizing cooperation with foreign entities. Following a 12-day conflict with Israel in 2025, a law was enacted imposing stricter penalties for alleged collaboration with hostile states. In a significant development this month, Iranian photojournalist Yalda Moaiery was sentenced to 15 years in prison under that law, accused of giving interviews to hostile media and providing photographs to organizations linked to the US and Israel.
