Iran’s parliament votes to further criminalize interviews with ‘hostile media’

Iran’s parliament approved a bill on Sunday that would criminalize interviews and other communications with media deemed hostile to ​the Islamic Republic, including U.S. or Israeli media and ‌outlets financed by either country, Iran’s Shargh newspaper reported.

DUBAI — Iran’s parliament approved a bill on Sunday that would criminalize interviews and other communications with media deemed hostile to ​the Islamic Republic, including U.S. or Israeli media and ‌outlets financed by either country, Iran’s Shargh newspaper reported.

Under the bill, which must still be reviewed by the Guardian Council before it can become law, ​interviews or participation in discussions with such media would ​be banned and violations punishable by six months to two ⁠years in prison.

Interviews with other foreign media would require notification ​to the intelligence ministry, while 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 deprivation of certain ​social rights.

The bill would also harden penalties for economic crimes committed ​under the direction or supervision of foreigners, ban providing information to foreigners without ‌intelligence ⁠ministry approval and restrict scientific cooperation with foreign institutions outside an approved list.

It would punish policy or legislative proposals made under the direction of foreign intelligence services if they harm Iran’s security ​or independence, with ​prison terms of ⁠up to 30 years. Cases would be heard by Revolutionary Courts.