Iran’s Anti-Infiltration Bill Could Criminalize Foreign Media and Academic Contacts

Iran’s parliament has approved the general framework of a 19-article bill commonly described as an anti-infiltration or counter–foreign-influence measure. The proposal would criminalize some contact with foreign media and organizations, regulate academic and economic cooperation, and give the state broader authority to investigate activity it associates with foreign intelligence services.

The bill is not yet in force. Parliament has approved its general principles, but the detailed provisions have not all been publicly released or individually approved. The Guardian Council must also review the measure before it can become law.

What the proposed bill would restrict

The most prominent provision concerns media classified by Iranian authorities as “hostile.” Reported examples include U.S. and Israeli outlets, as well as organizations financed by either country. Interviews, participation in discussions and other communications with those outlets would be prohibited under the proposal.

The reported draft would also cover a wider set of foreign relationships, including contact with:

• foreign media;
• embassies;
• overseas universities and research institutes;
• foreign organizations and institutions; and
• entities involved in economic, cultural or civil-society activity.

Other reported provisions would restrict sending information, photographs or videos abroad; accepting scholarships from unapproved foreign governments or universities; and conducting scientific cooperation with foreign universities, institutes or organizations without approval from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence.

Because the full text has not been made public, these details should be treated as reported provisions of the draft rather than a definitive account of enacted law.

What penalties have been reported?

For certain media-related conduct, including interviews with hostile outlets and the transmission of photos or video, reported penalties range from six months to two years in prison. The same six-month-to-two-year range has been reported for scientific cooperation with foreign institutions that has not received the required approval.

Other reported consequences include professional restrictions, financial penalties and asset-related sanctions, although the scope and application of those measures depend on the final text.

Some reporting says Revolutionary Courts could hear serious cases under the bill and impose sentences of up to 30 years. The available sources do not clearly establish which specific offense would carry that maximum, so it should not be read as the automatic penalty for an interview or ordinary academic contact.

How it could affect foreign communications

The proposal would create different levels of risk depending on the foreign outlet or organization involved. Contact with media designated hostile would reportedly be banned, while interviews with other foreign media could require notification to—or approval from—the Intelligence Ministry.

That framework could expose journalists, researchers, analysts, experts and other sources to criminal liability for activities that are ordinarily part of international reporting or public debate. It could also encourage self-censorship, since the boundaries of “hostile” media and foreign influence would be determined by Iranian authorities. The latter is a potential effect of the reported restrictions, not a confirmed outcome.

Effects on academic and economic cooperation

The bill’s reported reach extends beyond journalism. Foreign scholarships, conference invitations, research partnerships and scientific cooperation could become conditional on government approval or on working with institutions considered authorized.

Reporting also describes restrictions on economic activity and contact with foreign entities without permission. If enacted in that form, the measure could make routine international cooperation more legally uncertain for universities, businesses, cultural groups and civil-society organizations.

Foreign influence and government policy

The bill is framed around preventing infiltration by foreign intelligence services, governments and institutions. Its significance is therefore broader than a ban on espionage: the reported draft would allow authorities to scrutinize relationships, information sharing and proposals that they characterize as influenced by foreign actors.

Some reports describe possible penalties for proposals or activities allegedly shaped by foreign intelligence, including sentences of up to 30 years. However, the available reporting does not provide enough detail to determine how those provisions would be interpreted or applied.

The roles of the Revolutionary Courts and Guardian Council

Revolutionary Courts: Reports indicate that these courts could handle certain serious allegations under the proposed framework. They are also associated in the reporting with the possibility of sentences of up to 30 years, but the exact offenses covered by that maximum remain unclear.

Guardian Council: Parliament’s vote is only one stage of the process. The Guardian Council must examine the bill for compatibility with Iran’s constitution and Islamic law. It can approve the text or return it for changes, meaning the measure’s final scope and penalties could still change.

How it fits Iran’s broader crackdown

The proposal follows earlier 2025 legislation aimed at increasing penalties for alleged espionage and cooperation with the United States, Israel and other entities described as hostile. Reporting on that separate legislation described severe punishment for some forms of alleged collaboration, including the possibility of the death penalty.

Together, the measures reflect a broader shift from narrowly defined espionage offenses toward regulating information transfer, foreign interviews, academic ties, scholarships and cooperation with overseas organizations. The anti-infiltration bill remains a proposal at this stage, however, and its final legal effect will depend on the text approved by parliament and the Guardian Council.