Iran Votes to Criminalize Interviews With US Media

Iran's parliament voted Sunday to make it a crime for Iranians to give interviews to media the government deems hostile — a category that expressly includes US and Israeli outlets and any outlet financed by either country.

Violations would carry six months to two years in prison, according to Iran's Shargh newspaper, which reported the vote and was cited by Reuters, the Jerusalem Post, the Times of Israel and the Japan Times.

The bill is not law yet. It must still be reviewed by the Guardian Council, the clerical body that vets Iranian legislation, before it can take effect.

What the bill does

Interviews with or participation in discussions on "hostile" media would be banned outright.

Interviews with any other foreign media would require notification to the intelligence ministry.

Contact with foreign embassies, offices of foreign organizations or other non-Iranian institutions without notification and written permission from the foreign ministry would be punishable by a fine and the loss of certain social rights.

The bill also hardens penalties for alleged economic crimes committed under the direction or supervision of foreigners, bans providing information to foreigners without intelligence ministry approval, and restricts scientific cooperation with foreign institutions outside an approved list.

Its harshest provision targets policy or legislative proposals made under the direction of foreign intelligence services that harm Iran's security or independence: up to 30 years in prison. Cases would be heard by Revolutionary Courts.