Iran ranked among the world’s worst countries for press freedom in 2026 as global conditions hit a 25-year low, with legal pressure on journalists intensifying across multiple regions, Reporters Without Borders said.
More than half of all countries now fall into “difficult” or “very serious” categories, with the global average score at its lowest since the index began, the organization said.
“Iran remains near the bottom of the ranking, held back by the regime’s own repression and the US-Israeli war on its soil,” Reporters Without Borders wrote.
Iran anchored in ‘very serious’ category
Iran ranked 177th out of 180 countries, placing it firmly in the “very serious” category on the global press freedom map, according to the index.
The map shows Iran shaded in the darkest category, alongside a group of countries where conditions for journalists are considered most restrictive.
The report links Iran’s position to longstanding constraints on media and the use of legal and security frameworks to prosecute journalists or limit reporting.
Press freedom has declined steadily worldwide, with less than 1% of the global population now living in countries classified as having a “good” environment for journalism.
Russia and China shape restrictive landscape
Russia and China remain central to the global decline, both through domestic policies and the spread of their legal models abroad.
Russia ranked 172nd, with authorities using laws tied to extremism and national security to detain journalists and restrict independent reporting.
China ranked 178th and continues to hold more journalists in prison than any other country, with its censorship and legal frameworks increasingly replicated across the Asia-Pacific region.
Across that region, 21 of 32 countries are now classified as having “difficult” or “very serious” press freedom conditions.
Syria posts rare improvement
Syria recorded the sharpest improvement in the 2026 index, climbing 36 places following political changes after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in late 2025.
Despite that shift, the map visualization shows much of the Middle East and parts of Asia still dominated by darker shades, indicating persistent risks for journalists across the region.
Legal pressure drives global decline
The legal environment for journalism deteriorated in more than 60% of countries over the past year, reflecting wider use of national security laws and criminal charges against reporters.
These legal tools have become central to controlling information, often reinforced by economic pressure and political messaging against independent media.
The findings point to a global shift in how press freedom is constrained, with legal systems now playing a defining role in shaping access to information and the boundaries of public reporting.
The disruption began on February 28, when connectivity dropped to a fraction of normal levels, according to internet monitor NetBlocks, and has since stretched beyond 1,400 hours with most users still cut off from global networks.
“Exactly two months ago … Iran was thrown into digital darkness,” NetBlocks said, adding that the blackout persists despite limited access for privileged users.
Economic toll runs into billions
The prolonged shutdown has transformed internet access into a central economic constraint, with losses mounting daily across multiple sectors.
Estimates from Iran’s Chamber of Commerce put direct daily losses at $30 million to $40 million, rising to as much as $70 million to $80 million when indirect damage is included.
Communications Minister Sattar Hashemi said the disruption threatens the livelihoods of around 10 million people, pointing to the limited resilience of small and medium-sized businesses.
Zahra Behrouz-Azar, the vice president for women’s affairs, said women have been disproportionately affected, with many home-based businesses collapsing under the restrictions.
“The situation has been imposed like a war, and the damages should not be denied,” Behrouz-Azar said.
Export industries have also struggled to maintain international ties. Mohsen Ehtesham, the head of the National Saffron Council, said exporters had been unable to communicate with overseas clients or verify deliveries.
“Exporters … did not have direct contact with international customers, and could not even confirm whether goods had reached them,” Ehtesham said.
He added the disruption had weakened Iran’s position in global markets and created openings for competitors such as Afghanistan to rebrand Iranian saffron.
Social divide deepens
Beyond the economic toll, the blackout has disrupted daily life and created a two-tier digital reality, with limited access granted to select groups while most Iranians remain cut off.
For younger Iranians, internet access is closely tied to education, identity and social life, making the prolonged shutdown especially disruptive.
The divide has become more visible as officials and connected groups retain access to platforms blocked for ordinary users, while much of the population remains limited to a heavily restricted domestic network.
Human rights groups say such shutdowns restrict access to information, make abuses harder to document and leave crises with less public scrutiny.
‘Internet Pro’ plan fuels backlash
Authorities have sought to manage the fallout by advancing a plan known as “Internet Pro,” which would restore global access for selected businesses and institutions while most users remain restricted.
Under the proposal, approved by the Supreme National Security Council, commercial entities and later industrial sectors would receive connectivity, with officials presenting the measure as a form of economic management.
Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani said the plan aims to preserve business operations during crisis conditions.
“Internet Pro has been approved … to preserve business connections under current conditions,” Mohajerani said, adding that access could change once authorities declare conditions normal.
The plan has drawn criticism for formalizing unequal access. Reports show some connections have been sold at high prices, prompting judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei to order an investigation, describing the practice as discriminatory and potentially corrupt.
Civil society pushes back
Professional groups and users have rejected the proposal, describing it as institutionalizing digital inequality.
The Iranian Graphic Designers Guild said it would not submit a collective request for the service, calling it an insult and reaffirming the need for open and affordable access for all.
Public reaction has echoed that stance, with users criticizing the idea of restricting connectivity in an era where digital access underpins economic survival and social participation.
At the same time, authorities are accelerating development of domestic infrastructure aimed at reducing reliance on the global internet, a move critics view as enabling longer-term isolation.
The association said in a statement that designers needed internet access amid the continuing shutdown but the IGDS board “decided not to submit such an unfair request to the relevant higher authorities on behalf of all members.”
It said members could apply individually for the service, which it said carries a 10-fold higher tariff and a limited usage cap.
The association said the names of individual applicants would be published on its website for transparency.
It said free and affordable internet access was a public right and urged authorities to restore equal access for all.
“Free and affordable access to the internet is the right of all people, and we expect authorities to restore this right equally for everyone to prevent further losses for graphic designers,” read the statement.
A similar stance was taken by Iran’s nursing organization, which said it would not seek privileged access for its members while the wider public remained under restrictions.
The move comes amid a prolonged nationwide internet shutdown that has severely limited access to global connectivity and hindered communication, and economic activity across Iran.
