Iran’s parliament on Wednesday approved the general outline of a bill aimed at regulating public protests and rallies, state media reported, as the country grapples with nationwide unrest.
Lawmakers voted 215 in favour with no votes against and one abstention in an open session, approving the framework of the proposed “Law on Supporting Assemblies and Rallies,” which lawmakers said was based on Article 27 of Iran’s constitution. The vote was taken with 232 lawmakers present.
Article 27 allows peaceful gatherings provided they do not violate Islamic principles, though Iran has long lacked a comprehensive law governing how protests may be held.
Morteza Mahmoudi, a Tehran lawmaker and spokesman for parliament’s internal affairs committee, said the bill was intended to create a legal framework for demonstrations and distinguish lawful protests from unrest.
“Most gatherings currently take place outside a legal mechanism,” Mahmoudi said, adding that the absence of regulation had allowed what he described as hostile media to exploit protests and fuel disorder.
Government officials said the administration supported the bill in principle. Mohammad Kazem Delkhosh, deputy parliamentary affairs minister, said the government backed protecting citizens’ legal right to protest, while noting that some provisions may require further review during detailed deliberations.
Parliament’s internal affairs committee head Mohammad Saleh Jokar said the proposal originated from a government draft submitted under the previous administration and had been under review for nearly a year before being brought to the chamber.
He said the bill would allow protests to be held in designated locations, making it easier for security forces to separate lawful demonstrations from violence.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf welcomed the vote, calling it a step toward what he described as “civil order,” and said lawmakers would seek to address legal gaps during the bill’s article-by-article review.
The move comes amid ongoing protests across Iran that began over economic grievances and have escalated into broader challenges to the clerical establishment. Rights groups say hundreds of protesters have been killed in a crackdown by security forces, while authorities blame what they call “terrorist and foreign-backed groups” for the violence.
The bill must still be debated in detail and approved by Iran’s Guardian Council before becoming law.
