NAIROBI, Kenya— Iran’s security crackdown is deepening in the shadow of the US-Israel war, with more than 3,600 people arrested over alleged espionage and online activity—signaling a sweeping effort by authorities to control information and silence dissent.
The figure, reported by Iran Human Rights, is already significant. But rights groups warn it may only represent a fraction of the actual number, as widespread internet restrictions continue to obscure the full scale of arrests across the country.
Iran Crackdown Persists Despite Ceasefire as Arrests Top 3,600
According to the group, at least 3,646 individuals have been detained since February 28, when the conflict escalated. In a telling sign of the government’s stance, 767 arrests were recorded even after an April 8 ceasefire.
Authorities have reportedly targeted individuals accused of espionage, sharing sensitive images or coordinates with foreign media, and attempting to organise opposition or armed groups.
The continued arrests suggest Tehran’s focus has shifted beyond external threats to internal control—particularly around the flow of information during wartime.
Starlink Use, Social Media Activity Fuel Arrests in Iran
At the centre of the crackdown is connectivity itself.
Iranian authorities have detained individuals for using or distributing Starlink terminals, which allow users to bypass state-imposed internet blackouts.
Others have been arrested for sharing videos with overseas media outlets—an act increasingly framed as a national security offence.
The sweep has also extended to alleged links with pro-monarchist groups, long viewed by Tehran as a threat to stability.
Prominent Activists Arrested as Pressure Mounts Inside Iran
The crackdown has also reached high-profile figures.
Human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh was detained on April 2, with reports indicating that over 100 civil society activists have been swept up in the arrests.
Her daughter later revealed Sotoudeh made a brief phone call confirming she is being held by Iran’s intelligence ministry, though her exact location remains unknown.
Meanwhile, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi remains imprisoned in Zanjan, where she recently marked her 54th birthday behind bars. Concerns over her health have intensified following reports of a recent heart attack.
What the Iran Crackdown Means as War Tensions Ease
Even as active fighting slows, Iran’s internal security measures appear to be accelerating. With limited transparency and restricted internet access, rights groups caution that the true scale of arrests may be far higher than reported.
The broader takeaway is hard to ignore: in times of conflict, control over information—and those who share it—has become a central pillar of state power.
What happens next will likely depend not just on the trajectory of the war, but on how far Iranian authorities are willing to go to maintain control at home.
