Iran Plans to Criminalize Foreign Media Contacts
A new draft law in Tehran prohibits unauthorized contacts with foreign media and actors deemed hostile. For Iranians in Switzerland, this could become a risk, especially when traveling to Iran.
Tehran Aims to Control External Connections
The draft targets a communication gap crucial for independent reporting on Iran. Foreign journalists often rely on contacts with people inside Iran for information from the country.
These specific contacts are to be more tightly controlled. The draft stipulates that “interviews, participation in discussions or other communications” with foreign media or other actors are prohibited if they are classified as hostile to the Islamic Republic.
The problem lies not only in the prohibition itself, but also in its wording. The term “hostile” foreign actor is not clearly defined. What specific contacts would require approval also remains unclear based on currently available information.
Vague Terms Create Significant Risk
Bahar Ghandehari from the Center for Human Rights in Iran specifically criticizes the broad terms. A “foreign actor” can be interpreted very broadly. At the same time, it remains unclear whom Iranian authorities classify as hostile to the Islamic Republic.
This creates significant room for interpretation by security authorities and courts. A contact tolerated today could be judged differently under changed political circumstances.
This creates not only a concrete criminal risk for those affected. The mere uncertainty about what communication is allowed can lead people to preemptively avoid contacts with foreign media, researchers, or organizations.
According to Ghandehari, this very uncertainty is part of the intended effect of the proposed law: people should become cautious not only when they are actually charged, but already beforehand.
Draft Follows New Wave of Repression
The bill is not isolated. Since the nationwide protests in January, pressure on political opponents and critical voices has intensified. According to SRF, dozens have been executed since then. There are also reports of mass convictions and new proceedings against political prisoners.
The Iranian leadership regularly justifies such measures by citing defense against foreign influence and national security. Human rights organizations, however, see this as an attempt to further restrict criticism and opposition activities.
According to human rights activist Bahar Ghandehari, the new draft is also linked to the government's concern about a renewed protest movement. The state wants to prevent information, support, or contacts from abroad from facilitating new mobilization within Iran.
Thus, control over communication would become another instrument of political repression.
What Does This Mean for Iranians in Switzerland?
For Iranian nationals in Switzerland, a specific legal and practical uncertainty arises. An interview with a Swiss medium is generally not prohibited under Swiss law simply because the person concerned is an Iranian national.
However, what is crucial is which law Iran applies to the person concerned and to an action. Whether the new draft would actually cover contacts taking place entirely outside Iran is currently not definitively clear.
For this very reason, it would also be incorrect to claim today that every interview given by an Iranian living in Switzerland automatically constitutes a criminal offense in Iran. The draft law has not yet been finally adopted, and its practical application remains open.
The risk becomes particularly relevant, however, as soon as an affected person travels to Iran. Then, the question of what contacts they previously had abroad can take on a different meaning.
The Risk Is Not New for Travelers
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA) has generally advised against travel to Iran since August 2, 2024. Travel advice is continuously reviewed and adapted to the security situation.
The new draft law would therefore not be the first to create a travel problem for Iranians from Switzerland. However, it could create additional legal uncertainty, especially for individuals who must or wish to travel to Iran despite Swiss travel recommendations.
For Swiss nationals of Iranian origin, the situation is particularly complex. The EDA announced in March 2026 that around 180 Swiss nationals were registered in Iran. A clear majority of these also hold Iranian nationality.
Dual Nationals Face Special Circumstances
Dual nationality does not automatically eliminate the problem. Switzerland generally permits multiple nationalities. However, what is crucial is how Iran treats an individual under its own law.
For Swiss citizens with Iranian nationality, a different legal situation may therefore apply upon entry into Iran than in Switzerland. Furthermore, Swiss authorities can only intervene to a limited extent consularly if a person is detained or prosecuted by Iranian authorities.
This makes the question of the new law's scope particularly relevant: the permissibility of an interview in Switzerland is not the sole issue, but rather the potential risk of a later entry into Iran.
Swiss Media Also Face New Risks
The draft also indirectly affects Swiss journalists. Anyone working with an Iranian source must increasingly consider whether that person might later travel to Iran.
Therefore, an editorial team may need an additional security check. Is the source an Iranian national? Does she also hold Swiss citizenship? Does she travel regularly to Iran? Does she have close relatives there? Could her identity become known to Iranian authorities?
Such questions do not replace legal advice but are increasingly part of journalistic risk assessment. Especially with sources in authoritarian states, the publication of information must not lead to the source being exposed to foreseeable personal risk.
The tension is therefore twofold: the media wants to report on the situation in Iran but must also avoid endangering its sources through reporting.
Switzerland Cannot Override Iranian Law
An important limit must not be overlooked: Switzerland can guarantee Iranian nationals on Swiss soil the exercise of their rights under Swiss law, but it cannot determine how Iran treats its own nationals upon a later entry.
Precisely for this reason, it would also be wrong to immediately derive a Swiss obligation from the draft law. First, it must be established what content the law will actually have and how Iranian authorities will apply it.
However, if the final version explicitly covers actions taken abroad, or if initial cases show that contacts made in Switzerland are prosecuted during subsequent trips to Iran, the situation would become significantly more severe.
What the EDA Must Observe
For Switzerland, therefore, the question is less whether it must accept Iranian law. It does not. The decisive factor is rather whether the new legislation changes the security situation for people with Iranian nationality and whether the existing travel advisories are sufficiently specific.
The EDA already provides current travel advisories for Iran and has generally warned against travel to the country for years. In March 2026, Switzerland also temporarily closed its embassy in Tehran; diplomatic and consular options are restricted due to the security situation.
Should the Iranian Parliament pass the draft, it would therefore be particularly important to observe whether concrete new risks arise for Swiss nationals and for Iranians living in Switzerland.
The Law Has Not Yet Been Passed
The political impact of the bill is already significant. It signals that Tehran wants to further tighten control over information flows. For people in Iran, the uncertainty about permissible contacts could already act as a deterrent.
For Switzerland, however, restraint in evaluation is appropriate. It is not yet definitively known which provisions Parliament will adopt, what penalties are foreseen, and whether or how actions outside Iran are to be prosecuted.
However, it is clear: should the draft become law, the scope for action for Iranian nationals could further narrow – including for those living in Switzerland and enjoying the protection of freedom of expression and the press here.
The actual risk, therefore, may not begin with an interview in Switzerland, but with the question of what happens afterward.
Sources
- SRF, September 7, 2026: “Iran Plans Repression Law: Media Contacts Abroad Prohibited”.
- Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA): Travel Advice for Iran.
- EDA, June 26, 2026: Information on the Situation in Iran and Swiss Travel Advisories.
