Law on “Intensifying Punishment for Espionage and Cooperation with the Zionist Regime and Hostile Countries Against National Security and Interests”

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The full text of the Law on Intensifying Punishment for Espionage and Cooperation with the Zionist Regime and Hostile Countries Against National Security and Interests is as follows:

Law on “Intensifying Punishment for Espionage and Cooperation with the Zionist Regime and Hostile Countries Against National Security and Interests”

Article 1 – Any operational action for the Zionist regime or hostile governments, including the government of the United States of America or other hostile regimes and groups, or for any of their affiliated agents, against the security of the country, shall result in the confiscation of all property in accordance with the final part of Note (5) of Article (19) of the Islamic Penal Code, adopted on 2013/04/21, with subsequent amendments and additions, and shall be punishable by death. Also, any intelligence or espionage activity for the mentioned regimes, governments, and groups or their affiliated agents shall lead to confiscation of all property in accordance with the same provision and to the death penalty.

Note 1 – The realization of all crimes mentioned in this law shall be in accordance with Article (144) of the Islamic Penal Code.

Note 2 – The United States government and the Zionist regime are considered hostile under this and other laws. In other cases, the body responsible for determining hostile governments, regimes, and groups is the Supreme National Security Council. The same council is also responsible for determining the removal of hostility.

Note 3 – The term “operational action” in this article refers to actions that may endanger the security of the country, such as those capable of killing, destroying public or private places or property, creating public fear and terror, disrupting communication networks, information systems, or national infrastructure.

Note 4 – The term “intelligence activity” in this article refers to any information-gathering activity that could endanger national security.

Article 2 – Any security, military, economic, financial, technological, or other direct or indirect assistance that strengthens, consolidates, or legitimizes the Zionist regime shall result in confiscation of all property (as per Note 5, Article 19 of the Islamic Penal Code) and the death penalty. Otherwise, depending on the harmful results, offenders shall be sentenced to imprisonment of degree two to four.

Article 3 – Any cooperation or assistance in the following cases with the intent to collaborate with the Zionist regime, hostile governments, or other hostile regimes and groups shall lead to confiscation of all property and the death penalty:
(a) Manufacturing, assembling, supplying, transferring, trading, carrying, storing, importing, using, or exploiting any kind of conventional or unconventional weapon (chemical, biological, nuclear, traditional, or modern) or their parts that could cause killing, destruction, or public terror.
(b) Manufacturing, assembling, supplying, transferring, trading, carrying, storing, importing, using, or exploiting drones (including small UAVs and quadcopters), UAVs, or intelligent robots and their parts for military, espionage, sabotage, terror, or disruptive purposes.
(c) Any cyber warfare or cyber attack, disruption of communication networks or information systems, or sabotage of public or private facilities.

Note 1 – Receiving money or assets (such as real estate, cars, gold, foreign currency, or crypto-assets) from spies or affiliates of intelligence services, with knowledge of their affiliation, that results in the acts described in this law, shall lead to the punishments specified in this law. If the perpetrator fails to complete the act beyond his control, he shall face the punishment specified in this article if deemed an enemy force; otherwise, he shall face imprisonment of degree four, or if he did not intend to act or later withdrew, a fine equal to the received amount.

Note 2 – The provisions of this article do not apply to acts not intended to cooperate with or strengthen hostile regimes.

Article 4 – Any action or cooperation in political, cultural, media, or propaganda activities that fabricate damage, produce or publish false news, or create content causing public fear or against national security, if not constituting corruption on earth (efsad fel arz), shall result in imprisonment of degree three and permanent dismissal from public service. Sending videos, images, or information to foreign or hostile media or online platforms contrary to national security shall result in imprisonment of degree five and permanent dismissal; participation in illegal gatherings during wartime shall result in imprisonment of degree four.

Note – The Ministry of Intelligence must, within one month from the enforcement date of this law, determine and publicly announce the list of hostile media and platforms and update it at least every six months.

Article 5 – Use, possession, purchase, sale, or import of unlicensed satellite internet devices (such as Starlink) for personal use is prohibited and punishable by imprisonment of degree six and confiscation of equipment. Producing, distributing, installing, or importing such devices for distribution is punishable by imprisonment of degree five, and doing so with intent to act against the regime or for espionage shall result in the death penalty if the perpetrator is considered an enemy force; otherwise, imprisonment of degree four applies unless subject to harsher penalties such as corruption on earth or enmity against God (moharebeh).

Article 6 – If the crimes defined in this law occur during wartime or security/military emergencies as determined by the Supreme National Security Council, the punishment shall be increased by up to three degrees.

Article 7 – Crimes under this law shall be handled out of turn and in special branches of the Revolutionary Court designated by the Head of the Judiciary.

Article 8 – Trials for crimes under this law shall observe the following rules:

1. All legal time limits exceeding ten days in criminal procedure (such as notification and appeal) shall be set at ten days.

2. If investigative deficiencies are found, the court may complete investigations itself.

3. In all cases, if sufficient evidence exists, the prosecutor or court may order pretrial detention until the final judgment.

4. This article does not prevent applying Article (477) of the Criminal Procedure Code (2014/02/23) with subsequent amendments.

Article 9 – For crimes under this law that existed before its adoption, if the offender committed, began, or prepared for the crime before enforcement and reports himself and others within fifteen days to relevant authorities, the court must apply mitigating circumstances. Otherwise, failure to report shall lead to an additional imprisonment of degree five.

The above law, consisting of nine articles and seven notes, presented by the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, was approved in the open session of the Islamic Consultative Assembly on Sunday, 2025/09/28, and approved by the Guardian Council on 2025/09/30.