Iran's parliament approved on August 16, 2026, a bill framework that criminalizes interviews and communications with foreign media considered hostile to the Islamic Republic, including those linked to the U.S. and Israel or financed by these countries [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. Violations of the ban can lead to prison terms ranging from six months to two years [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9].

The new bill mandates notification to Iran's intelligence ministry for interviews with other foreign media not categorized as hostile [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. Additionally, any contact with foreign embassies, offices of international organizations, or non-Iranian institutions requires prior written permission from Iran's foreign ministry; failure to comply can result in fines and loss of certain social rights [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9].

The legislation also increases penalties for economic crimes committed under guidance from foreigners and prohibits providing information to foreigners without intelligence ministry approval. It restricts scientific cooperation to an approved list of foreign institutions [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. Proposals or policies influenced by foreign intelligence services that threaten Iran's security or independence can lead to prison sentences of up to 30 years, with cases tried by Revolutionary Courts [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9].

Osman Salari, a member of the Iranian parliament's judicial and legal commission, said the bill "aims to combat foreign influence, but specific provisions still need to be debated and approved" [2]. He added that the bill's details were not finalized and individual provisions required further debate and votes [8].

The bill builds on a 2025 law enacted after a 12-day war with Israel that imposed tougher penalties for cooperation with hostile states [1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8]. That law was recently applied in August 2026 when Iranian photojournalist Yalda Moaiery was sentenced to 15 years in prison for allegedly giving interviews to hostile media and providing photos to groups linked to the U.S. and Israel [1, 2, 3].

The current bill still requires review and approval from Iran's Guardian Council before becoming law [1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9].