The ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel has not only increased military tensions, but has also heightened the already unsafe environment for journalists in Iran. In 2025, Iranian reporters and media workers are being besieged by a “double threat”: battling both state-imposed censorship and intimidation at home, and that of the risk of being targeted in the crossfire of international hostility.
This analysis provides facts, figures, and testimony to highlight the real risks and restrictions Iranian journalists face and the larger implications for press freedom and information flow in times of warfare.
Palestinian journalists in #Israel covering the conflict with #Iran have been accused of “working for the enemy,” barred from reporting, physically assaulted, & subjected to racial slurs. CPJ documented incidents on June 14 & 15 targeting 14 journalists. https://t.co/DNvDaFoEBF
— CPJ MENA (@CPJMENA) June 17, 2025
The First Threat: State Censorship and Intimidation
Crackdown Post-Israel Conflict
After Israel’s first attack on Iran on June 13, 2025, the Iranian regime severely increased its crackdown on the media. The Islamic Republican authorities began to warn journalists and made it clear that they could not comment online regarding the ongoing conflict, and established a special task force to pursue criminal prosecution toward reporters their regime claimed were creating fake news or criticism that did not conform to the official government lines.
Emergency Meetings and Gag Orders
In Tehran, journalists were convened to emergency meetings and told that any personal comments or any reporting on social media platforms would be grounds for immediate termination from their jobs. One reporter who works at a private newspaper based in Tehran explained:
“We were told that any personal commentary or reporting on our social media accounts would result in immediate dismissal… We cannot report anything at all. We are journalists who, in this situation, are unable to practice journalism.”
This climate of fear has forced some journalists to flee the capital, while others remain but are relegated to merely rewriting government statements, unable to conduct independent reporting or analysis.
Threats to Journalists in Exile and Families
The government censorship goes beyond its borders. A freelance journalist in exile who had been making comments on the war on social media received an alarming message from an intelligence agent in Iran:
“If I report anything or give voice to the people, my family in Iran will be arrested.”
The journalist had fled Iran after being arrested multiple times for their work, showing how the regime would also try to intimidate people by also threatening their family members.
Legal Action and Broader Crackdowns
The government’s punitive measures are not limited to warnings. Legal action has been taken against newspapers and prominent journalists for not relaying official rhetoric about the conflict in relation to Israel. This has included Abbas Abdi, Hossein Dehbashi, and the whistle-blower Yashar Soltani, all charged with “compromising national security” for their statements.
The crackdown is happening to ordinary citizens as well. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said that it will act against any show of online support of Israel, and thereby silence public discourse.
Arrests and Imprisonment
Since the uprising in 2022, over 700 journalists have been arrested in Iran. Iran is regarded as one of the worst and least safe places for media professionals. Reza Valizadeh, an Iranian-American journalist serving a 10-year sentence in Tehran’s Evin Prison began a hunger strike in June 2025 protesting the seizure of important court records.
Recent 2025 Censorship Instances
- June 2025: Task force established to prosecute journalists accused of “fake” news about the Israel conflict.
- April 2025: Legal action against journalists and newspapers for not adhering to state rhetoric on the Israel attack.
- Ongoing: Threats, arrests, and prosecution of journalists, with over 700 detained since 2022.
The Second Threat: Violence and Targeting in the Conflict
The risks for Iranian reporters became lethal on June 16, 2025, when an Israeli airstrike struck Iran’s state broadcaster (IRIB) headquarters during a live broadcast. The attack burned much of the building in flames, threw debris into the air, and plunged the set into darkness. A journalist and a media worker were killed in the walkout, while other employees were hurt and anchors were forced to leave live.
International and Official Reactions
Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, denounced the strike as a “direct assault on press freedom” and charged Israel with being the “foremost enemy of truth.”. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei referred to the bombing as a “wicked act of war crime” and urged the world community to demand justice for it.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu characterized the broadcaster as “not a legitimate news outlet but a tool of a totalitarian regime.”The Israeli military defended the strike by arguing that the Iranian Armed Forces were using the TV station “under the guise of civilian activity“
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) denounced the attack, stating:
“CPJ is appalled by Israel’s bombing of Iran’s state TV channel while live on air.”
Civilian Casualties and the Broader Toll
The airstrike on the IRIB building was part of a broader series of deadly exchanges between Israel and Iran. According to Iranian officials, more than 220 civilians—including 20 children—have been killed in Iran since the start of Israel’s offensive, with over 1,000 injured. In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed and nearly 600 injured by Iranian retaliatory strikes.
Dangers for Journalists in the Field
The risks are not confined to state media. The inability to report on the ground because of official limitations and the constant threat of bloodshed from continuing military operations are only two of the many challenges faced by independent and international media. This has forced many to rely on social media and open sources, which increases the risk of misinformation and exposes journalists to further scrutiny and retaliation.
Stakeholder Perspectives
Iranian Journalists
- Anonymous Tehran-based journalist:
“We cannot report anything at all. We are journalists who, in this situation, are unable to practice journalism.” - Exiled freelance journalist:
“If I report anything or give voice to the people, my family in Iran will be arrested.”
Iranian Officials
- Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani (UN):
opposed Israel as being the “foremost enemy of truth” and called the Israeli strike on Iranian TV a “direct assault on press freedom”. - Esmaeil Baqaei (Foreign Ministry):
Called the attack a “wicked act of war crime” and urged the international community to demand justice.
Israeli Officials
- Israeli Military:
Asserting the TV station was used by the Iranian Armed Forces, justifying the strike as a military necessity. - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
Labeled the broadcaster “not a legitimate news outlet but a tool of a totalitarian regime.”
Press Freedom Advocates
- Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ):
Condemned both the Iranian government’s censorship and the Israeli strike on the broadcaster and called for respect of press freedom.
The Consequences: The Pervasiveness of Press Freedom
Ability to Silence Independent Voices
Both government censorship and violence have led to irreparable silence for Iranian journalists. Many journalists are left with no recourse but to go silently into exile or silence or exercise self-censorship or disavowal, while those that remain oftentimes are arrested, intimidated, or worse.
Information Vacuum and Misinformation
With independent journalism unavailable, the Iranian public (as well as the non-Iranian community) must rely on official Statements, social media material, and inconsistent or faulty open sources for information. Profit and the obvious need for ‘news’ underdeveloped the news industry further pitting real journalists against geostrategic news fake makers, in a culture of misinformation and narratives, to the point where AI-made videos are an everyday commodity.
Global Implications
The crisis in Iran highlights a larger phenomenon where journalists working in crisis areas are facing greater risk, not just from repressive states, but from war itself. In 2025, there were reports of similar censorship in other crisis zones where journalists may similarly be targeted. In light of this evidence, the call to action to protect journalists and press freedom must include a global response.
This double threat in 2025—censorship or intimidation in their own country and violence coming from the Israel conflict—has put Iranian journalists in a nearly impossible situation for independent journalism. Journalists operate in a crossfire, which is both figurative and literal, dealing with the repression of the state and the dangers of carrying out work in a time of war. The impact is significant for the people and the right to know about Iran to the right of free expression.
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