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.
