The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has condemned a new Iranian parliamentary bill that criminalizes interviews and communication with designated foreign media outlets. The organization warned of severe consequences for freedom of expression, journalism, and citizens’ access to information.
On August 16, the Islamic Consultative Assembly approved the general principles of the draft bill by a vote of 183 in favor. Under its provisions, giving interviews to foreign media outlets designated as “hostile” by the Islamic Republic can be prosecuted as a criminal offense. Outlets based in or funded by the United States and Israel are explicitly targeted under the proposed legislation.
Anthony Bellanger, General Secretary of the IFJ, criticized the bill as an instrument to escalate restrictions on free expression in Iran. He stated that controlling the flow of news directly violates the public’s right to access information.
Highlighting the ongoing detention and imprisonment of journalists in Iran for their professional work, Bellanger warned that restricting access to international media would impose further isolation and limitations on the Iranian public.
The IFJ General Secretary called on Iranian authorities to withdraw the proposed legislation immediately and end what he described as the “intimidation of journalists and their sources.”
