Iran’s hardline parliament raises concerns with ‘foreign infiltration’ plan

Tehran, Iran – Iran's hardline-dominated parliament has approved the broad outlines of a plan presented as a means of combatting foreign "infiltration", with a consequential focus on academia, media and the cultural sector.

Key points

• The Jam-e Jam newspaper, published by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) agency, additionally praised it as a "revolutionary resolution".
• Speaking to the state-linked Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA), legal expert and university professor Kambiz Norouzi remarked he was "baffled" by the plan.
• But Ruhollah Nejabat, a hardline member of parliament from Shiraz, remarked the plan was first approved earlier this year to counter the "influence" of Iran's enemies.
• A 19-article draft of the bill was previously published by state-linked media, with an updated 33-article version published on Wednesday.
• Today I downloaded and read an English-language article from one of the journals not approved by the Ministry of Intelligence.

Proponents have presented it as an effort to complement another tough law punishing espionage passed after last year's 12-day war with Israel and the United States to bolster wartime national security.

For context, the controversy around the plan this week erupted as the deadline of a memorandum of understanding with Washington expired, against the backdrop of prospects of further military escalation in the current US-Israel war on Iran. But Ruhollah Nejabat, a hardline member of parliament from Shiraz, remarked the plan was first approved earlier this year to counter the "influence" of Iran's enemies.

Notably, the envisioned legislation. It was approved during a remote parliamentary session on Sunday, has alarmed the public, experts and even elements within the administration, as it would further curtail personal freedoms.

In practice, a 19-article draft of the bill was previously published by state-linked media, with an updated 33-article version published on Wednesday. As well as by a powerful 12-member constitutional watchdog known as the Guardian Council – a process that could take weeks or months, before becoming law, the bill needs final ratification by parliament.

In practice, the general principles approved by hardline lawmakers. This person have dominated parliament since 2020 after elections marked by a historically low turnout and candidate disqualifications, establish broad restrictions on contact with foreign countries.

Meanwhile, the updated version of the bill published on Wednesday provides more information concerning what could be in the final law, if it is eventually passed.

In practice, the prospective bill defines the "activity" with foreign counterparts that it wishes to control as including publishing, statistics, scholarships, scientific cooperation, media work, research samples, funds, goods and services, legal advice and artistic production.

It would group countries into three tiers, according to how much scrutiny authorities would place on contact with them, with the US and Israel projected to be placed in the highest tier.

In practice, the Ministry of Interior would then establish a portal where a broad range of foreign-linked activities – including exchanging reports, data or statistics – would have to be registered.

Foreign-supported workshops, courses or classes could lead to imprisonment for organisers and feasible punishment for participants. NGOs, parties and associations would have to register, and in some cases seek approval for, foreign funds, contracts, training or other benefits, or risk getting dissolved.

Existing foreign-linked activities would have to be registered within three months of the portal becoming operational.

In practice, the education, science and health ministries must additionally incorporate "enemy infiltration" awareness and media literacy into books and curricula, with input from the Ministry of Intelligence and the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution.

Notably, an article in the plan notes that any interaction or cooperation with foreign media requires both registration and prior permission. As are media owned, managed or funded by foreign agents connected to countries placed in the top two tiers, unauthorised conversations or interviews with media considered hostile by the Islamic Republic are additionally prohibited. Violators could face six months to a number of years in prison.

And anything deemed to be false information, analysis or policy recommendations given under knowing foreign direction that harms Iran's security or the trust of the public in the state carries a maximum stated punishment of 30 years' imprisonment.

As foreign-supported or directed films, music, books and other works that question religious rules were singled out in the proposed legislation, arts and culture are not spared either. Any works that depict Iran negatively or promote "anti-Islamic culture" could trigger fines, permanent professional bans and production stoppages.

As well as political authorities' participation in relevant foreign activities, are exempt from registration on the portal, activities of the armed forces and Intelligence Ministry.

Speaking to state media on Wednesday, Majid Ansari, a religious leader serving as deputy for legal affairs for President Masoud Pezeshkian, remarked the administration was in "explicit opposition" to the planned legislation.

While additionally damaging Iran's image in international media and "intensifying and accelerating brain drain" – an problem that has dogged Iran for years as plenty of escape deteriorating conditions in search of a more stable life, ansari remarked the administration believed the plan would impose "serious restrictions" on scientific work and obstruct Iranian academics' access to international colleagues.

Ansari additionally stated the plan ran counter to the constitution as well as citizens' rights and personal freedoms. Iran's main vulnerability, he remarked, came not from the kinds of "minor and lower-level infiltration" that such a law might address, but from "larger-scale issues" resulting from existing "points of infiltration" and inadequate oversight within the establishment.

Last month, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi informed state-linked media that the security breach behind the assassination of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and numerous other top authorities in late February had probably not been resolved. He remarked the infiltration appeared to go beyond gathering intelligence and instead included the "steering decision-making".

Local media additionally extensively covered the proposed anti-infiltration plan. "The current plan smells of restrictions for media and reduced freedoms for the operations of the press, parties and even citizens instead of countering infiltrations by aliens, " Nournews, an outlet affiliated with Iran's Supreme National Security Council, remarked, adding the plan must be reconsidered.

Nevertheless, the ultraconservative Keyhan newspaper, whose editor-in-chief was appointed by the supreme leader, strongly backed the plan, and argued that only individuals with hidden foreign links should fear it. The Jam-e Jam newspaper, published by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) agency, additionally praised it as a "revolutionary resolution".

Reformist media outlets were less convinced, with Shargh newspaper calling it a "law against communication".

Speaking to the state-linked Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA), legal expert and university professor Kambiz Norouzi remarked he was "baffled" by the plan. It he stated is "wholly inconsistent with the fundamental rights of the people". He remarked the general principles approved by members of parliament are probable to undergo considerable changes before final approval, but the fact remains that lawmakers were in favour of the plenty of limiting measures included.

"This type of lawmaking, which is prevalent in the country, not only does not help law and order in running the affairs of the country, but will also propagate disorder, " Norouzi remarked.

One medical researcher at the University of Tehran. This person intends to leave for a Western country next year to pursue a PhD and seek a more stable life, stated she was not immediately concerned with the plan, since numerous provisions are vague or too expansive to be feasible for nationwide enforcement.

"But this is another concerning precedent. Plenty of residents in student and academic groups that I follow are particularly worried and have a negative outlook concerning what comes next, " she informed Al Jazeera, asking to remain anonymous due to security worries.

Notably, the researcher additionally stated students studying abroad. This person may have resisted the Islamic Republic in rallies and demonstrations in Europe and throughout the world, may face security challenges as of the proposed law if they return to the country.

For context, the news has additionally garnered much attention on social media, where, along with expressing their frustrations and worries, Iranian users additionally processed the developments through dark humour.

"Today I downloaded and read an English-language article from one of the journals not approved by the Ministry of Intelligence. I hope Sepah isn't tracking me, " one user wrote, in reference to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the force running war, politics and most of the economy in Iran.

For now, iran's hardline parliament raises concerns with 'foreign infiltration' plan remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.