Iran’s New “Counter-Infiltration” Bill: Expanding Repression at Home and Abroad

1. A Bill to Prevent Uprising
2. Suppressing the Media
3. Civil Society Under Siege
4. Punishing “Infiltration” with Thirty-Year Sentences
5. Human-Rights and Academic Implications
6. A Broader Campaign of Control
7. Conclusion

Often referred to as the 'anti-infiltration' bill, the 'Countering Intelligence Service Infiltration' bill is a proposed piece of legislation in Iran’s Majlis (parliament) aimed at expanding state oversight over perceived foreign intelligence activities. First presented to parliament in July 2025, it is now being fast-tracked towards approval. State media outlets such as Khabar Online have hailed it as a safeguard against “foreign espionage”. However, in reality, it represents a significant increase in government control over Iranian society, criminalising many everyday interactions with the outside world and intensifying surveillance of students, journalists, academics and cultural figures.

A Bill to Prevent Uprising

A new bill has recently been presented to parliament that would extend the reach of the Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) into almost every aspect of civic life.

Under the proposal, any Iranian citizen who receives a scholarship, grant or conference invitation from abroad must first obtain approval from the MOIS. The ministry will publish an annual list of 'authorised' foreign governments, universities and institutions. Cooperation with any entity not included on this list will become a criminal offence, punishable by a prison sentence ranging from six months to two years. This effectively gives the intelligence services a veto over academic exchange and international research.

Suppressing the Media

The bill's most controversial clause relates to the press. From now on, any interview with foreign media will require prior permission via a special MOIS online portal. Contacting outlets funded by the United States or Israel can result in up to six years’ imprisonment, and the Supreme National Security Council will maintain an official blacklist of such organisations. Even sending photographs or video footage abroad, actions that were previously common among citizen journalists and diaspora reporters, will be punishable by prison terms of up to five years if carried out during 'crisis or unrest'.

Analysts note that these measures formalise long-standing informal practices: harassment, arbitrary arrests and smear campaigns against journalists accused of cooperating with 'enemy media'. By codifying these practices into law, Tehran is effectively criminalising routine communication.

Civil Society Under Siege

Beyond the press and academia, the bill threatens the foundations of Iranian civic life. Political parties, professional associations and NGOs are prohibited from receiving funds from foreign embassies, governments or non-Iranian organisations, unless authorised by a special tripartite committee comprising representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), and the Intelligence Organisation of the Revolutionary Guard. Any violation will result in the dissolution of the organisation, the imprisonment of its directors, and bans of up to fifteen years on cultural or social activity.

The same restrictions apply to cultural production. Films, books or artworks 'produced under the guidance of foreigners' are criminalised, particularly if they 'question religious rulings', depict Iran negatively or 'promote anti-Islamic culture'. Producers face fines equivalent to the cost of their work and permanent exclusion from state services. Even cooperation with international bodies such as UNESCO on projects like the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is prohibited unless specifically ratified by parliament, which is a clear signal of hostility towards global educational norms.

Punishing “Infiltration” with Thirty-Year Sentences

The bill categorises offences into six 'degrees'. According to the state-controlled Khabar Online website, Article 1 of the bill concerns individuals "under the guidance or training of foreign intelligence services, international organisations, groups, institutions or non-Iranian entities; the PMOI Organisation (MEK); other terrorist groups; or deviant sects", who have "an explicit conflict with the principles of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini or the Supreme Leader".

Offences such as unapproved interviews or data sharing carry sentences ranging from six months to fifteen years, alongside asset confiscation, lifetime employment bans and substantial fines. The Revolutionary Courts will have exclusive jurisdiction, and the MOIS and the IRGC Intelligence Organisation have been named as the official judicial bodies responsible for investigations, thus eliminating even the appearance of independent oversight.

Critics warn that such provisions blur the line between espionage and dissent. Combined with the “Intensifying Punishment for Espionage and Collaboration with Hostile States” law, which was approved by the Guardian Council on 1 October 2025 and allows for the death penalty to be given for 'corruption on earth', the anti-infiltration bill creates a legal continuum in which ordinary professional activities can result in capital charges for journalists, students or artists.

Human-Rights and Academic Implications

Human rights experts argue that the draft violates Iran’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The requirement for prior intelligence approval before communicating with foreign media constitutes prior restraint, which is prohibited under the protection of free expression enshrined in Article 19. The dual vetting of scholarships by the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) undermines Article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which guarantees the freedom to pursue education without ideological interference.

Rights groups say the cumulative effect will be suffocating. Journalists will avoid foreign contact, academics will cancel exchange programmes, NGOs will stop applying for international grants and artists will self-censor. The result will likely be an unprecedented brain drain, continuing the exodus of skilled Iranians which exceeded 150,000 people in 2024, and deeper cultural isolation.

A Broader Campaign of Control

This bill is not an isolated initiative, but rather part of a legislative push to tighten the regime’s control over information and dissent. Earlier in 2025, parliament passed a law criminalising so-called fake news, while the espionage bill dramatically increased sentences for collaborating with Israel or the US. Together, these measures form a comprehensive security architecture combining censorship, surveillance and deterrent punishments.

Officials justify this onslaught by citing national security and 'psychological warfare' from abroad. However, observers argue that the regime is actually more fearful of its own citizens, particularly those radicalised by the nationwide uprisings of 2022–23. By equating foreign contact with treason, the leadership is seeking to pre-empt new cycles of protest, as well as delegitimising both domestic critics and exiled opposition movements.

Conclusion

The 'Countering Intelligence Service Infiltration' bill represents a significant step in the Iranian regime's transition from surveillance to pre-emptive criminalisation. Although it is presented as a defence against foreign plots, it actually codifies a fear of openness by treating knowledge, communication and cultural exchange as threats to the state. If enacted, the bill will isolate Iran’s universities, silence its journalists, dismantle its independent associations and sever the remaining links between the Iranian people and the outside world. For the opposition abroad, it heralds a new era of transnational intimidation involving monitored communications, blacklisted relatives, and criminalised advocacy.

For a regime haunted by its failures, the bill offers temporary control. For Iranian society, however, it promises only deeper darkness.