Iran's parliament approves controversial bill to counter 'foreign infiltration'

On August 6, Iran's hardline-dominated parliament approved the general principles of a plan presented as a measure to counter 'infiltration' from abroad, focusing on academic, media, and cultural sectors.

Supporters see it as a complement to an anti-espionage law passed after last year's 12-day war with Israel and the U.S., aiming to bolster national security in wartime.

The controversy over the plan comes as a memorandum with Washington expires, amid risks of military escalation in the ongoing U.S.-Israel war against Iran. However, hardline lawmaker Ruhollah Nejabat said the plan was approved earlier this year to counter the 'influence' of Iran's enemies.

The bill, passed in a remote session on Sunday (August 5), has raised concerns among the public, experts, and even some government members, as it would further curtail individual freedoms. A 19-article draft was previously published by state media, and an updated 33-article version was released on Wednesday (August 6). The bill requires final parliamentary approval and must be passed by the 12-member Guardian Council before becoming law, a process that could take weeks or months.

Plan details

The plan sets broad restrictions on foreign contacts. The updated version defines 'activities' with foreign partners to include publishing, statistics, scholarships, scientific cooperation, media operations, research samples, money, goods, services, legal consultancy, and artistic production.

The bill categorizes countries into three groups based on the level of monitoring, with the U.S. and Israel expected to be in the highest tier. The Interior Ministry will set up an online portal to register activities related to foreign entities, including exchanges of reports, data, or statistics. Workshops, courses, or classes supported by foreign entities could lead to prison terms for organizers and fines for participants. NGOs, parties, and associations must register and, in some cases, seek permission for grants, contracts, training, or other benefits from abroad, or face dissolution.

Existing foreign-related activities must be registered within three months of the portal's launch. The ministries of education, science, and health must also incorporate awareness of 'enemy infiltration' and media literacy into textbooks and curricula, with input from the Intelligence Ministry and the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council. Any interaction or cooperation with foreign media requires prior registration and permission. Unauthorized conversations or interviews with media deemed hostile are banned, as are media owned, managed, or funded by foreign partners in the top two groups. Violators could face prison terms ranging from six months to several years. Anything deemed disinformation, analysis, or policy recommendations made at the direction of foreign entities harming national security or public trust could carry up to 30 years in prison.

The arts and culture sector is not exempt. Films, music, books, and other works supported or directed by foreign entities that question religious rules are criticized in the bill. Any work portraying Iran negatively or promoting 'anti-Islamic culture' could face fines, permanent bans from practice, and production halts. Activities of the armed forces and the Intelligence Ministry, as well as political officials' involvement in related foreign activities, are exempt from registration on the portal.

Mixed reactions

Majid Ansari, deputy legal aide to President Masoud Pezeshkian, said the government 'clearly opposes' the bill. Ansari argued that the plan would impose 'serious restrictions' on scientific work, hinder Iranian scientists' access to international peers, and damage Iran's image in international media, 'worsening the brain drain.' He also stressed that the plan contradicts the constitution, as well as citizens' rights and individual freedoms. Iran's main weakness, he said, does not stem from the 'minor infiltrations' this law might address, but rather from 'larger issues' due to 'existing infiltration points' and insufficient oversight within the apparatus.

Last month, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told state-affiliated media that the security breach leading to the assassination of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior officials in late February may not have been resolved. He said the infiltration seemed not only to gather intelligence but also to include 'directing decision-making.'

Local media extensively covered the anti-infiltration plan. Nournews, a paper affiliated with Iran's Supreme National Security Council, commented: 'The current plan smells of restricting media and reducing the freedom of the press, parties, and even citizens rather than countering infiltration.' The paper called for a rethink. However, the ultra-conservative Keyhan, whose editor-in-chief is appointed by the supreme leader, strongly backed the plan, arguing that only those with potential foreign ties should fear it. Jam-e Jam, affiliated with Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, also praised it as a 'revolutionary resolution.' Meanwhile, reformist media were less convinced, with Shargh calling it a 'law against media.'

Legal expert and university professor Kambiz Norouzi told the Iranian Labor News Agency (ILNA) that he is 'confused' by the plan, which he says is 'completely inconsistent with the fundamental rights of the people.' Norouzi said the general principles approved by lawmakers are likely to undergo significant changes before final approval, but the fact that legislators support many restrictive measures is concerning. 'This type of legislation, which is common in the country, not only does not help the legal order in running the country's affairs, but will also spread chaos,' Norouzi said.

A medical researcher at the University of Tehran, who plans to travel to a Western country next year for a PhD, said she is not immediately worried because many provisions are vague or too broad to be enforced nationwide. However, she told Al Jazeera, requesting anonymity for security reasons: 'But this is a worrying precedent. Many people in the student and academic circles I follow are very anxious and have a negative view of what is coming.' The researcher also said that students studying abroad, who may have protested against the government in Europe and worldwide, could face security issues if they return under the bill's provisions.

The news also drew significant attention on social media, where Iranian users expressed frustration and anxiety, along with dark humor. One user wrote: 'Today I downloaded and read an English article from a magazine not approved by the Intelligence Ministry. I hope Sepah is not tracking me,' referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.