Iranian parliament advances bill restricting contact with US and Israeli media

Iran's parliament has approved in principle a bill that would punish Iranians who give interviews to media outlets in the United States or Israel, in a further tightening of controls on foreign contact and information flows. The measure was passed on Sunday, 16 August, and still needs further review before it can become law. It also seeks to restrict unauthorised contact with foreign embassies, organisations and institutions, both inside and outside Iran.

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Under the draft legislation, anyone who speaks to a foreign outlet without permission could face prison terms of six months to two years. The bill also says any contact with foreign media requires written authorisation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In a separate provision, sharing information deemed harmful to Iran's security could carry a sentence of up to 30 years in prison.

The proposal is not yet final and must go through another review and the Guardian Council before taking effect. The Guardian Council is a 12-member body that oversees parliament and can veto laws, while also playing a decisive role in approving or rejecting election candidates. The bill also expands state control over cultural production, including films, documentaries, theatre, music and books that are seen as promoting an anti-Islamic culture or portraying Iran negatively.

The move comes against a backdrop of tight media restrictions in Iran, which ranks 176th out of 180 countries in the press freedom index of Reporters Without Borders. The new measures would deepen the state's ability to control who can speak to foreign audiences and what kinds of cultural work can circulate. They also underline the authorities' concern about outside influence and the spread of information beyond official channels.

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The legislation follows a period of heightened pressure on journalists, activists and social media users. Last month, the Ministry of Intelligence published a list of entities it described as hostile within so-called citizen media, intensifying the crackdown. Among those named were Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi and former footballer Ali Karimi, according to the report.

What remains unclear is whether the bill will pass the next stages of review in its current form or be amended before any final vote. It is also not clear how broadly the restrictions would be enforced in practice, or what penalties might be applied in individual cases. The next key step is the Guardian Council's examination of the draft, which will determine whether the proposal can become law.

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