Interviews by Iranian nationals with “hostile media outlets” have been banned.

Representatives of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, at today’s virtual public session of parliament (Tuesday, October 6), while reviewing the report of the Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission on the bill to counter foreign influence, reviewed Article 22 of the bill and ultimately approved it.

According to this resolution, interviews and participation by Iranian nationals in conversations with media outlets or “human media” that have been designated and publicly announced by the Ministry of Intelligence as “hostile” or are under the ownership or management, with funding, of agents associated with level-one or level-two governments, are prohibited except in compliance with the provisions of this law and are punishable by one or more of the sixth-degree penalties stipulated in Article (19) of the Islamic Penal Code. Officials are exempt from the provisions of this article.

According to Article (21), which was approved, violations of the duties set forth in Chapter One of this law by nongovernmental organizations, associations, and groups, in addition to the penalties prescribed for a natural person, shall be punishable by dissolution of the legal entity in compliance with Article (22) of the Islamic Penal Code.

Based on the note to Article (21), decisions regarding noncompliance with the provisions of this law by political parties, guilds, and unions shall be made in accordance with the relevant laws.

Article (22) of the bill was also approved by the representatives, according to which interviews and participation by Iranian nationals in conversations with media outlets or “human media” that have been designated and publicly announced by the Ministry of Intelligence as “hostile” or are under the ownership or management, with funding, of agents associated with level-one governments and several others, are prohibited except in compliance with the provisions of this law and are punishable by one of the sixth-degree penalties stipulated in Article (19) of the Islamic Penal Code.

An amendment proposed by Alireza Salimi, representative of the people of Tehran, was approved in Article (22), according to which officials were exempted under Article (22).

The sixth-degree penalties under Article (19) of the Islamic Penal Code are as follows:

Imprisonment of more than 6 months to two years

A fine of more than 200/000/000 to 800/000/000 rials

Thirty-one to seventy-four lashes and up to ninety-nine lashes for offenses against public morality

Deprivation of social rights for more than 6 months to five years

Publication of the final judgment in the media

Prohibition of one or more occupational or social activities for legal entities for a maximum period of five years

Prohibition of public invitations to increase capital for legal entities for a maximum period of five years

Prohibition of issuing certain commercial documents by legal entities for a maximum period of five years

For bills and proposals to become law, they must, after being approved in a public session of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, also be approved by the Guardian Council.