Iran moves to criminalise interviews with “hostile media”

Iran’s parliament has approved a bill that would criminalise interviews and other forms of communication with foreign media deemed hostile to the country, including US and Israeli outlets or media financed by either country, according to Iran’s Shargh newspaper.

Under the bill, which must still be reviewed by the Guardian Council before taking effect, interviews or participation in discussions with such outlets would be prohibited. Violators could face between six months and two years in prison, Al Jazeera reports, citing the newspaper.

The legislation would also require individuals to notify the Intelligence Ministry before giving interviews to other foreign media outlets.

The move is not the first time Iran has criminalised cooperation with foreign entities. A law adopted last year following the 12-day war with Israel and the United States introduced tougher penalties for alleged cooperation with countries deemed hostile to Iran.

By Jeyhun Aghazada