Iran Parliament approves bill to counter foreign influence

The Iranian Parliament has approved the general principles of a new bill titled ‘Countering the Influence of Intelligence Services, Foreign Governments, or Foreign Entities in the Country’. While the specific articles and details have not yet been finalized in the parliamentary session, the framework aims to expand the scope of criminalized activities for citizens.

Critics and political organizations, including the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (Majority), have expressed serious concerns regarding the potential for increased security agency involvement and the restriction of civil liberties, including scientific, media, and cultural communications. The bill utilizes broad and interpretable concepts such as ‘distorting public trust in the system’, ‘reducing participation in elections’, or ‘presenting a black image of Iran’.

Observers note that the lack of clear, measurable criteria for these terms could allow for wide-ranging security interpretations. Furthermore, the legislation has sparked discussions regarding the diminished independence of academic institutions in Iran, as scholars face challenges in providing critical oversight due to a lack of professional autonomy and freedom of expression.