--- title: "Iran parliament criminalises interviews with US and Israeli media" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/iran-parliament-criminalises-interviews-with-us-and-israeli-media" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/iran-parliament-criminalises-interviews-with-us-and-israeli-media" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/iran-parliament-criminalises-interviews-with-us-and-israeli-media.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/iran-parliament-criminalises-interviews-with-us-and-israeli-media" category: "Politics" area: "Middle East" published: "2026-08-16T13:46:19.525Z" source_reported: "2026-08-16T13:17:01.304Z" updated: "2026-08-16T13:46:19.525Z" trust_score: 56 critic_score: 85 hype_score: 15 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-16T14:45:09.871461+00:00" --- # Iran parliament criminalises interviews with US and Israeli media *Bill imposes prison sentences of up to two years for contact with outlets deemed hostile to the Islamic Republic* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 56 of 100, higher is better. Trust 56: Shargh newspaper named (+12) and specific date/location (+6) support the claim. - Craft 85 of 100, higher is better. Critic 85: provides context, specific details, next step, and clear factual separation. - Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Hype 15: language is measured with no sensational adjectives. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Iran’s parliament passed a bill on 16 August 2026 that criminalises interviews or other contact with US or Israeli media, or outlets financed by either country. - Violations carry prison sentences of six months to two years, with cases to be heard by Revolutionary Courts. - The bill must still be reviewed by the Guardian Council before it can become law. - Interviews with other foreign media will require notification to Iran’s intelligence ministry. Iran’s parliament approved a bill on 16 August 2026 that makes it a crime to give interviews or take part in discussions with media deemed hostile to the Islamic Republic. The legislation targets US and Israeli outlets, as well as any media financed by either country. Violations are punishable by six months to two years in prison. The bill must still be reviewed by the Guardian Council, a body that vets legislation for compliance with Iran’s constitution and Islamic law. If approved, it will expand existing restrictions on contact with foreign entities. Interviews with other foreign media will require notification to the intelligence ministry. Contact with foreign embassies or organisations without written permission from the foreign ministry will also be punishable by fines and loss of social rights. The legislation also increases penalties for economic crimes linked to foreigners, bans providing information to foreign entities without intelligence ministry approval, and restricts scientific cooperation with foreign institutions outside an approved list. Policy proposals made under the direction of foreign intelligence services that harm Iran’s security or independence could result in prison sentences of up to 30 years. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated digests mentioned that the bill must still be reviewed by the Guardian Council. The Deccan Herald was the only report to include the case of Yalda Moaiery and the bill’s provisions on economic crimes and scientific cooperation. None of the centre-rated digests mentioned the bill’s restrictions on policy proposals made under foreign direction or the role of Revolutionary Courts in hearing cases. ## Who covered it Shares of the 12 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 8% (1) - Centre: 34% (4) - Right: 58% (7) 6 of 18 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-16T14:45:09.871461+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 6 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-16T15:15:12.323Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The Deccan Herald, the only left-rated outlet with a full report, led on the bill’s broader implications. It quoted Iran’s Shargh newspaper as the source of the bill’s details and noted that the legislation would harden penalties for economic crimes committed under foreign direction. The report also mentioned that the bill would restrict scientific cooperation with foreign institutions unless they appear on an approved list. - The Deccan Herald included a case study: Iranian photojournalist Yalda Moaiery was sentenced this month to 15 years under a 2025 law for alleged cooperation with hostile states, including giving interviews to US and Israel-linked media. The report described the bill as part of a pattern of criminalising cooperation with foreign entities, citing a 2025 law passed after a 12-day war with Israel. ### Centre - The four centre-rated digests, Jerusalem Post, WTVB, Reuters and The Japan Times, all carried the core facts: the bill’s approval by parliament, the two-year prison sentence for violations, and the requirement for Guardian Council review. The Jerusalem Post and The Japan Times added that interviews with other foreign media would require notification to the intelligence ministry. - None of the centre-rated digests mentioned the bill’s provisions on economic crimes, scientific cooperation, or the case of Yalda Moaiery. The Reuters digest, which was republished by WTVB, was the most widely cited among the digests. ### Right - The seven right-rated digests, India Today, regionalmedianews.com, The Straits Times, SRN News, WKZO, WTAQ and WSAU, all led on the prison sentence for contact with hostile media. India Today’s headline framed the bill as a direct ban: “Talk to hostile foreign media, go to jail: Iran to ban US, Israeli outlets contact.” - The digests from regionalmedianews.com, SRN News, WKZO, WTAQ and WSAU were identical, repeating the Reuters digest verbatim. The Straits Times added a call to “read more” but did not include additional details. None of the right-rated digests mentioned the bill’s provisions on economic crimes, scientific cooperation, or the requirement for intelligence ministry notification for other foreign media. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 3 - high: 8 - unknown: 6 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Cryptocurrency News | Cryptocurrency Prices | Market Cap](https://cryptocurrency.com.tr/iran-criminalizes-interviews-with-us-israeli-media-amid-tensions-342328) — Iran criminalizes interviews with US, Israeli media amid tensions - [Jerusalem Post](https://jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-905678) — Iranian parliament votes to further criminalize interviews with US, Israeli media outlets - [India Today](https://indiatoday.in/world/story/iran-parliament-bill-hostile-foreign-media-jail-interviews-2972583-2026-08-16) — Talk to hostile foreign media, go to jail: Iran to ban US, Israeli outlets contact - [Aktuality.sk](https://aktuality.sk/clanok/82d1iSg/iran-sprisnuje-zakony-o-komunikacii-s-nepriatelskymi-mediami-hrozi-aj-vazenie) — Iran Tightens Laws on Communication with 'Hostile' Media, Threatens Prison - [KAYHAN LIFE](https://kayhanlife.com/iran-protests/iranian-parliament-votes-to-further-criminalise-interviews-with-hostile-media) — Iranian Parliament Votes to Further Criminalise Interviews With ‘Hostile Media’ - [regionalmedianews.com](https://regionalmedianews.com/world/iranian-parliament-votes-to-further-criminalise-interviews-with-hostile-media) — Iranian parliament votes to further criminalise interviews with ‘hostile media’ - Regional Media News - [Deccan Herald](https://deccanherald.com/world/middle-east/iranian-parliament-votes-to-further-criminalise-interviews-with-hostile-media-4113165) — Iranian parliament votes to further criminalise interviews with 'hostile media' - [WTVB](https://wtvbam.com/2026/08/16/iranian-parliament-votes-to-further-criminalise-interviews-with-hostile-media) — Iranian parliament votes to further criminalise interviews with ‘hostile media’ - [The Straits Times](https://straitstimes.com/world/europe/iranian-parliament-votes-to-further-criminalise-interviews-with-hostile-media) — Iranian parliament votes to further criminalise interviews with 'hostile media' - [BizToc](https://biztoc.com/x/fa7ba4e9e6efff59) — Iranian parliament votes to further criminalise interviews with 'hostile media' - [Reuters](https://reuters.com/business/media-telecom/iranian-parliament-votes-further-criminalise-interviews-with-hostile-media-2026-08-16) — Iranian parliament votes to further criminalise interviews with 'hostile media' - [SRN News](https://srnnews.com/iranian-parliament-votes-to-further-criminalise-interviews-with-hostile-media) — Iranian parliament votes to further criminalise interviews with 'hostile media' - [Hospodárske Noviny](https://hnonline.sk/svet/96297204-iran-sprisnuje-zakony-rozhovory-s-nepriatelskymi-mediami-mozu-znamenat-az-dva-roky-vazenia) — Irán Sprísňuje Zákony, Rozhovory S „Nepriateľskými Médiami“ Môžu Znamenať až Dva Roky Väzenia - [The Japan Times](https://japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/08/16/world/iran-foreign-media-laws) — Iranian parliament votes to further criminalize interviews with ‘hostile media’ - [WKZO](https://wkzo.com/2026/08/16/iranian-parliament-votes-to-further-criminalise-interviews-with-hostile-media) — Iranian parliament votes to further criminalise interviews with ‘hostile media’ - [WTAQ](https://wtaq.com/2026/08/16/iranian-parliament-votes-to-further-criminalise-interviews-with-hostile-media) — Iranian parliament votes to further criminalise interviews with ‘hostile media’ - [WSAU](https://wsau.com/2026/08/16/iranian-parliament-votes-to-further-criminalise-interviews-with-hostile-media) — Iranian parliament votes to further criminalise interviews with ‘hostile media’ - [WIN 98.5](https://wincountry.com/2026/08/16/iranian-parliament-votes-to-further-criminalise-interviews-with-hostile-media) — Iranian parliament votes to further criminalise interviews with ‘hostile media’ ## Questions **What does the new Iranian bill criminalise?** The bill criminalises interviews or other communications with US or Israeli media, or outlets financed by either country. Violations are punishable by six months to two years in prison. It also requires notification to the intelligence ministry for interviews with other foreign media and restricts contact with foreign embassies without permission. **Who must approve the bill before it becomes law?** The bill must be reviewed by Iran’s Guardian Council, a body that ensures legislation complies with the constitution and Islamic law. The council has the power to approve, reject, or request amendments to the bill before it can become law. **Which outlets reported on the case of Yalda Moaiery?** The Deccan Herald was the only outlet to report on the case of Yalda Moaiery, an Iranian photojournalist sentenced to 15 years in prison under a 2025 law for alleged cooperation with hostile states, including giving interviews to US and Israel-linked media. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/iran-parliament-criminalises-interviews-with-us-and-israeli-media. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Iran parliament criminalises interviews with US and Israeli media", https://mediabias.news/politics/iran-parliament-criminalises-interviews-with-us-and-israeli-media