The year 2024 saw Iran’s media landscape tighten under rising pressure. Journalists, especially women, faced intensifying threats. Official information channels collapsed under crisis. Censorship became more systemic, more strategic.
This annual report, compiled from twelve monthly analyses published by Midpoint between March 2024 and March 2025, maps out key trends in media freedom, state control, and information flow in Iran. It draws on verified cases and incident reports to document an ecosystem increasingly hostile to independent journalism.

95 journalists or media workers were arrested, including those accused of “spreading falsehoods” online. In one case, a journalist from Qazvin province in north-central Iran who hosted live chats about a major car fraud scandal was detained.

Key Findings

At least 120 instances of state threats were issued to journalists throughout the year—documented cases where intelligence or security agents contacted journalists (or their families) to intimidate them or block reporting.

42 court rulings were issued against media workers, including a 21-year sentence and exile for a Kurdish women’s rights journalist by the Revolutionary Court in Sanandaj, Kurdistan.

63 recorded cases of direct censorship targeted domestic media outlets. In July, seven outlets received official warnings for their coverage of the presidential debates; some saw their accounts restricted or temporarily shut down.

27 incidents of information distortion were observed across state media. One of the most glaring came after President Raisi’s helicopter crash, when state broadcasters initially claimed he had survived. Only after mounting pressure from independent media and leaked reports did officials confirm his death.

12 large-scale internet blackouts were logged, often during politically sensitive moments. On November 9, a temporary lift of blocks on Instagram and Telegram was explained away as a “technical glitch.”

16 misinformation campaigns were orchestrated, including a wave of doctored videos released after Iran’s military strike on Israel, falsely depicting fires and evacuations inside Israeli cities.

35 targeted threats against women journalists were recorded, including personal threats and family intimidation. A journalist from the northern province of Gilan was sentenced to a fine in lieu of six months in prison for criticizing President Raisi online.

8 cases of cross-border repression were documented. A former Radio Farda (RFE Persian Service) journalist was arrested inside Iran, and a staff member of Iran International was stabbed in London.

President Helicopter Crash and the Collapse of Official Information

The crash of President Raisi’s helicopter in May 2024 was a turning point. Within hours, state media issued contradictory updates, broadcast unverified reports, and enforced blanket censorship. Meanwhile, foreign-based Persian media outlets such as BBC Persian, Iran International, and Radio Farda filled the vacuum with rapid updates and live reports from Turkish journalists who reached the crash site.
This moment laid bare the collapse of Iran’s official information apparatus. When crisis struck, the state chose opacity over transparency, censorship over clarity.

Persian-Language Media Abroad: A Shrinking Lifeline

Despite blockades, cyberattacks, and state smear campaigns, Persian-language media in exile remain critical to Iran’s information ecosystem. But in 2024, they were hit from both sides.
In the United States, the incoming administration cut funding for Voice of America’s Persian service and Radio Farda (part of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty), severely disrupting operations. The outlets have taken legal action to challenge the decision.

In the UK, BBC Persian faced budget cuts leading to job losses and reduced coverage.

These cuts, layered on top of threats from Tehran, pose a structural risk. If financial instability continues, it could compromise these outlets’ capacity to deliver independent reporting to Persian-speaking audiences worldwide.

Spring 2024

Surge in threat calls to journalists reporting on sensitive issues.

The president’s helicopter crash triggered disinformation, chaos in official channels, and intensified reliance on exile media.

Election gag orders were issued to ban criticism of presidential candidates. Investigative journalists were detained or threatened.

Summer 2024

Escalation of threats and detentions, including against foreign media operating in Iran.

Mass censorship during elections: over 600 online users were “warned” and 685 arrested or summoned.

State media spin around electricity outages and labor strikes.

Worsening internet disruption, despite campaign promises to improve connectivity.

Autumn 2024

Coordinated misinformation campaigns aimed at discrediting independent media.

Judicial harassment intensified, especially against those covering corruption, labor protests, or human rights abuses.

Women journalists were disproportionately targeted with threats involving family and personal safety.

Winter 2024–25

Harsher court sentences forced veteran journalists into exile.

Persistent internet blackouts, especially in January and February.

Foreign Persian-language media remained a primary news source despite blocks, with Iranian officials accusing them of destabilization.

New censorship laws introduced in March signaled the start of a more sophisticated, multilayered filtering regime.

Censorship in Iran is no longer just a practice—it’s a system. A system designed not just to silence dissent, but to erase the very possibility of truth in the public sphere.
This report documents the scale and sophistication of that system, and the bravery of those who continue to report despite it.