Iran parliament passes bill criminalizing interviews with hostile foreign media

The Iranian parliament has passed a restrictive article banning citizens from giving interviews to or communicating with media outlets designated as hostile by the state, such as those funded by the US or Israel. Violators face up to two years in prison, fines, and lashes. While President Masoud Pezeshkian's cabinet formally opposed the bill over concerns regarding civil rights and elite emigration, the hardline-dominated parliament, elected with a historic low turnout of 41%, pushed the measure forward.

Ban on interviews with hostile media

• ▪The Iranian parliament approved a proposal by Tehran MP Alireza Salimi on October 6, 2026 to exempt government officials from the scope of the media contact ban.
• ▪Violations of Article 22 of the bill carry sixth-degree penalties under the Islamic Penal Code, including imprisonment of six months to two years, fines, 31 to 74 lashes, and deprivation of social rights.
• ▪The media ban applies to organizations officially deemed hostile, including those owned, managed, or funded by the United States or Israel, or by operatives connected to countries classified as adversaries of Iran.
• ▪The Iranian parliament voted 174 to six on October 6, 2026 to pass an article banning Iranian citizens from giving interviews or participating in discussions with media outlets designated as hostile by the state.

Government opposition to the bill

• ▪President Masoud Pezeshkian's cabinet formally opposed the bill on August 22, 2026, warning that the legislation had serious flaws, including restrictions on scientific activity and the acceleration of elite emigration.
• ▪Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref warned of negative consequences for science and technology, while presidential legal deputy Majid Ansari stated that criminalizing broad categories could harm citizens' rights.

Low turnout in parliamentary elections

• ▪Voter turnout in Tehran was around 24 percent, with the leading candidate in the capital winning some 598,000 votes compared to more than 1.6 million for the leading Tehran candidate in the 2016 elections.
• ▪The Iranian parliament that passed the media ban emerged from elections with a voter turnout of approximately 41 percent, which is the lowest turnout recorded since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Debatable claims

• ▪Low voter turnout deprives Iran's parliament of the mandate to restrict citizens' rights
• ▪Exempting government officials from Iran's media contact ban is unfair
• ▪Iran's ban on citizen contact with hostile foreign media is justified