February 4, 2026
Mr. Swalwell (for himself, Ms. Tenney, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Min, and Mrs. Bice) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
To make certain improvements relating to the coordination of efforts to promote internet freedom and access to information in Iran, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Internet Reach and Access Now Act
or the IRAN Act
.
Sec. 2. Findings; sense of Congress
(a) Findings
Congress finds the followings:
(1)
The Government of Iran has repeatedly disrupted, throttled, or shut down internet connectivity, impeding the ability of the Iranian people to communicate during emergencies and to exercise internationally recognized human rights.
(2)
Satellite-based residential and Direct-to-Cell (DTC) communications, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), embedded-SIM (eSIM) technology, and other circumvention tools can mitigate those shutdowns, but Iranian users face high costs, sanctions-related equipment barriers, and pervasive digital surveillance.
(3)
Clarifying United States policy and supporting secure connectivity tools will materially enhance internet resilience for the people of Iran.
(b) Sense of Congress
It is the sense of Congress that United States policy should—
(1)
promote the deployment of DTC communications, VPNs, eSIM technology, and other secure communications tools that enhance open access to the internet in Iran; and
(2)
ensure that sanctions and export-control regulations are implemented in a manner that does not unintentionally hinder access to such tools by the Iranian people.
Sec. 3. Improved coordination of efforts to promote internet freedom in Iran
(a) Duties of the secretary of state
The Secretary of State shall be the Federal official with primary responsibility for—
(1)
promoting widespread internet freedom in Iran and expanding access to information for Iranian citizens;
(2)
coordinating all efforts carried out by Federal departments and agencies that relate to digital‑freedom initiatives in Iran; and
(3)
serving as the principal official responsible for updating and carrying out the strategy required under section 414 of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8754).
(b) Updates to comprehensive strategy To promote Internet freedom and access to information in Iran
(1) Updates
Section 414 of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8754) is amended—
(A)
by striking Not later than
and inserting (a) Initial strategy.—Not later than
;
(B)
by redesignating paragraphs (11) and (12) as paragraphs (14) and (15), respectively;
(C)
by inserting after paragraph (10) the following new paragraphs:
(11)
evaluate the use of virtual private networks and direct-to-cell satellite technologies by civil society and human rights activists in Iran and develop strategies for increasing the accessibility of such networks and technologies;
(12)
work with the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Commerce to ensure enforcement of sanctions does not impede companies providing to Iranian civilians the technology and other tools necessary to access the open internet;
(13)
assess the ability of the Iranian regime to cut off all access to the internet and develop a strategy to circumvent internet blackouts for Iranian civil society;; and
(D)
by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(b) Updates
The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, and the heads of other Federal departments and agencies as appropriate shall review the strategy under subsection (a) on an ongoing basis and update the strategy as appropriate, taking into account the results of such review.
(2) Submission of first updates
(A) Submission
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall—
(i)
review and update the strategy pursuant to section 414(b) of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8754), as amended by paragraph (1); and
(ii)
submit such updated strategy to the appropriate congressional committees.
(B) Form
The strategy under subparagraph (A) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
Sec. 4. Satellite and Direct‑To‑Cell (DTC) coverage safeguards
(a) Non‑Exclusion condition for new licenses
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) shall, as a condition of any license, license modification, or market‑access grant issued on or after the date of enactment of this Act, require that the licensee shall refrain from intentionally disabling, degrading, or geo‑blocking satellite or DTC coverage over the land territory of Iran, except—
(1)
to the extent specifically required by Federal law, an order of the FCC, or an international coordination agreement designed solely to prevent harmful interference; or
(2)
for limited periods necessary to mitigate an imminent threat to the integrity or security of the licensee’s network, provided that normal coverage is restored as soon as practicable.
(b) International advocacy
The Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce and the FCC, shall oppose at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) or any successor body any proposal that would compel or encourage geographic exclusion of Iran specifically from satellite or DTC coverage provided by United States–licensed operators.
(c) Reporting requirement
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5 years, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report describing—
(1)
actions taken pursuant to subsection (b); and
(2)
any instances in which a satellite or DTC operator intentionally excluded coverage of Iran and the basis for such exclusion.
(d) Saving clause
Nothing in this section may be construed to—
(1)
authorize any transaction or service that is prohibited under United States sanctions laws or regulations, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Treasury; or
(2)
require a licensee to market, sell, activate, or collect payment for services in Iran.
Sec. 5. Cybersecurity capacity for civil society in Iran
(a) Training and tools
The Secretary of State, acting through the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, shall, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, establish programs to—
(1)
deliver remote or in‑person cybersecurity training to journalists, human‑rights defenders, and civil‑society actors in Iran;
(2)
furnish vetted open‑source or commercially available digital‑safety tools, including VPN services and end‑to‑end encrypted messaging applications; and
(3)
provide multilingual educational materials that warn Iranian users about regime‑controlled applications and phishing campaigns.
(b) Reporting and evaluation
(1) Quarterly metrics
The Secretary of State shall track and, on a quarterly basis, make available to the appropriate congressional committees aggregate metrics on the number of trainees, incident‑response cases, and unique users of supported digital‑safety tools.
(2) Independent evaluation
Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees an evaluation of the effectiveness of the programs carried out under this section.
(c) Savings clause
Nothing in this section may be construed to supersede or limit existing authority under section 404 of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 2012 (22 U.S.C. 8754) or any other provision of law related to internet freedom programming in Iran.
Sec. 6. Authorization of appropriations
(a) In general
There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State $15,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 and 2028 to carry out sections 5 and 6 of this Act, including programs that expand access to secure VPN services for individuals in Iran.
(b) Availability
Amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) shall remain available until expended.
Sec. 7. Rule of construction
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to—
(1)
limit the authority of the President under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.);
(2)
authorize any transaction prohibited under United States sanctions or export‑control laws; or
(3)
require any United States person to provide goods, services, or technology in violation of such laws.
Sec. 8. Definitions
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees
The term appropriate congressional committees means—
(A)
the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
(B)
the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
(2) eSIM technology
The term eSIM technology means embedded subscriber‑identity‑module technology that allows a user to remotely activate cellular service on a compatible device without a physical SIM card.
(3) VPN services
The term VPN services means encrypted internet connections designed to bypass a government’s censorship and surveillance, enabling secure and unrestricted access to the open internet.