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, below Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, which ranked 175th. But journalists and media watchdogs say the US-Israel war with Iran has pushed reporting conditions to an even more dangerous point. Authorities in Iran have long tried to control the public narrative during moments of crisis. But according to journalists