Iran has long ranked among the world’s most repressive countries for press freedom. In the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders placed Iran 177th out of 180 countries.
Journalists and media watchdogs say the US‑Israel war with Iran has pushed reporting conditions to an even more dangerous point. Authorities have tightened control over the public narrative during the conflict, with editorial instructions reportedly passed down from above and closer monitoring of outlets.
One journalist at a well‑known Iranian publication, speaking on condition of anonymity, told DW the newspaper is now more tightly overseen and that its website cannot be accessed from outside Iran. Only a limited number of outlets close to the security establishment appear to have reliable access to the global internet.
Press freedom groups report a broader pattern: in March, RSF said journalists were facing an information blackout while trying to report under wartime dangers and noted some reporters had received threatening phone calls from state‑linked institutions. RSF described access to information inside Iran as “severely restricted,” with reporters working under bombardment while under pressure from state bodies.
Internet restrictions have sharply limited information flow out of Iran. Reuters reported on April 28 that Iran had entered a third month of an internet blackout, while authorities introduced limited access for some businesses under a temporary scheme called “Internet Pro.” The blackout began on January 8, briefly eased in February, and was reimposed after the war began on February 28.
In practice this has created a two‑tier information system: most of the population has little or no normal access to the global internet, while a small number of media actors and institutions are given exceptions. Journalists say security agencies have approved “white SIM cards” that allow freer international access; some reporters refused to participate, seeing the arrangement as discriminatory and politically compromising, with the expectation that recipients would remain within state narrative boundaries.
Pressure on journalists extends beyond internet access. Reporters describe a climate where routine reporting is risky, especially near sensitive sites. One Tehran‑based journalist told DW independent reporting has become nearly impossible; he said credentialed reporters trying to cover strike locations were briefly detained and had footage deleted. DW could not independently verify every reported case, but the pattern aligns with press freedom groups’ findings.
State media and officials frame unauthorized reporting as harmful to national security. Domestic outlets are effectively confined to official versions of events and avoid publishing sensitive ground‑level details including the public mood and the human toll of the war. Some analysts say the state’s propaganda effort is failing to convince much of the public. Media expert Behrouz Turani said the regime’s wartime messaging has appeared clumsy and disconnected from people’s lived reality, widening the gap between official narratives and citizens’ experience.
The crackdown has extended to exiled journalists and activists. Reuters reported on March 9 that Tehran warned Iranians abroad who publicly backed the US and Israel they could face legal consequences, including confiscation of property in Iran. In March the judiciary said people accused of spying, cooperating with “hostile states” or helping enemy targeting could face the death penalty and confiscation of all assets under a law strengthened during the war. Authorities said the law could also apply to some media‑related activity, including sharing images or videos deemed useful to hostile forces.
Iran’s judiciary and security apparatus have long pursued journalists and citizens for reporting and public commentary. Reporters now describe a harsher iteration of that system, producing an information vacuum: as independent reporting becomes harder and internet access remains restricted, the space for verified journalism shrinks, giving the state more room to promote its version of events and making it harder for citizens, reporters and the outside world to understand what is happening on the ground.
Edited by: Wesley Rahn