Iran scores 24.8/100 on the 2023 RSF World Press Freedom Index, ranking #177 globally. Freedom House rates it Not Free (11/100). Context: pop 82.9 million, GDP $445.35B.
2023 Press Freedom Scorecard
Overall score and global position
In the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, Iran scores 24.81 out of 100 and ranks #177 globally — one of the most restricted press environments in the world. Of the 25 Freedom House indicators, Iran earns 0 at the maximum 4/4 and 14 at 0/4; its strongest category is Personal Autonomy (4/16) and its weakest is Freedom of Expression (0/16).
24.8 / 100
Composite index comparison
Press freedom score — higher is freer.
Elections, political pluralism, government functioning.
Freedom of expression, association, rule of law, personal autonomy.
Academic press-freedom index from the Varieties of Democracy project (0–1 rescaled to 0–100).
Five-year RSF trend
Over 2019–2023, Iran moved from 35.59 to 24.81 on the RSF scale (a decline of 10.78 points). The lowest recorded score was 23.22 and the highest was 35.59.
Year-over-year RSF movement
Iran's biggest single-year RSF movement in the 2019–2023 window was a loss of 7.89 points between 2020 (35.19) and 2021 (27.30).
| Years | From | To | Δ score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 → 2020 | 35.59 | 35.19 | ▼ -0.40 |
| 2020 → 2021 | 35.19 | 27.30 | ▼ -7.89 |
| 2021 → 2022 | 27.30 | 23.22 | ▼ -4.08 |
| 2022 → 2023 | 23.22 | 24.81 | ▲ 1.59 |
Full socio-economic dashboard
Demographics & geography
Economy & labour
Health
Education
Administration
All socio-economic indicators from the World Bank country dataset (2023 snapshot).
Democratic Rights & Civil Liberties
Freedom status explained
Freedom House classifies Iran as Not Free with a 2024 aggregate score of 11/100 — basic political rights and civil liberties are widely denied.
Within Freedom House's Middle East region (15 countries), Iran ranks #11 on the latest aggregate score — the 29th percentile. The region leaders are Israel, Lebanon, Kuwait.
Political Rights vs Civil Liberties
Rating 7 of 7 (1 = best)
Rating 7 of 7 (1 = best)
Political rights and civil liberties are rated in similar territory, a sign that formal political channels and everyday personal freedoms move together in this country.
Twelve-year Freedom House trend
Between 2013 and 2024, Freedom House moved Iran from Not Free (Not Free, 16/100) to Not Free (Not Free, 11/100).
Indicator trajectory (A–G over 12 years)
Of the 25 Freedom House indicators tracked for Iran, 7 moved at least one point across the available Freedom House history. The eight with the largest absolute change appear below.
| Code | Indicator | Earliest | Latest | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Elected officials govern | 1/4 (2013) | 0/4 (2024) | ▼ -1 |
| C3 | Government transparency | 1/4 (2013) | 0/4 (2024) | ▼ -1 |
| D3 | Academic freedom | 1/4 (2013) | 0/4 (2024) | ▼ -1 |
| D4 | Private discussion | 1/4 (2013) | 0/4 (2024) | ▼ -1 |
| F2 | Due process | 1/4 (2013) | 0/4 (2024) | ▼ -1 |
| A1 | Free and fair head-of-government elections | 0/4 (2013) | 0/4 (2024) | • 0 |
| D1 | Free media | 0/4 (2013) | 0/4 (2024) | • 0 |
Latest A–G indicator scorecard
Electoral Process
PR
-
A1Free and fair head-of-government elections
0/4
-
A2Free and fair legislative elections
1/4
-
A3Electoral laws and framework
1/4
Political Pluralism & Participation
PR
-
B1Right to organise in political parties
0/4
-
B2Opposition can realistically gain power
1/4
-
B3Free political choice without domination
0/4
-
B4Political rights of minorities
1/4
Functioning of Government
PR
-
C1Elected officials determine government policy
0/4
-
C2Safeguards against corruption
0/4
-
C3Transparency of government
0/4
Freedom of Expression & Belief
CL
-
D1Free and independent media
0/4
-
D2Freedom of religious expression
0/4
-
D3Academic freedom
0/4
-
D4Free private discussion
0/4
Associational & Organisational Rights
CL
-
E1Freedom of assembly
0/4
-
E2Freedom for NGOs
0/4
-
E3Free trade unions
1/4
Rule of Law
CL
-
F1Independent judiciary
1/4
-
F2Due process in civil and criminal matters
0/4
-
F3Protection from illegitimate force
0/4
-
F4Equal treatment under the law
1/4
Personal Autonomy & Individual Rights
CL
-
G1Freedom of movement
1/4
-
G2Property rights
1/4
-
G3Personal social freedoms
1/4
-
G4Equality of opportunity
1/4
Each indicator is scored 0–4 by Freedom House analysts; category subtotals combine into the Political Rights (A + B + C = 0–40) and Civil Liberties (D + E + F + G = 0–60) aggregates shown above. 2024 edition.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Iran see its biggest RSF press-freedom change?
The sharpest single-year shift was an deterioration of 7.89 points between 2020 (35.19) and 2021 (27.30) on the RSF index.
Which Freedom House indicator moved most in Iran?
Indicator C1 (Elected officials govern) changed by -1 points, moving from 1/4 to 0/4 across the available history — the biggest indicator-level movement of the 25 Freedom House sub-scores for Iran.
How does Iran rank within its Freedom House region?
Iran holds position #11 of 15 in the Middle East region on the latest Freedom House aggregate score. The region's top country is Israel (74/100).
What is Iran's economic context for its press freedom score?
Iran has a GDP of $445.35B across a population of 82.9 million, giving a per-capita GDP of about $5,371. Its capital is Tehran; the official language is Persian.