WorldRisk

Which passport do you hold?

Risk to a traveller depends on their nationality. A country that sanctions your destination, or is sanctioned by it, changes how you are treated on arrival. Choosing here adjusts every score on the site.

We hold travel advice written for four nationalities so far. Selecting anything else shows the neutral baseline, and every page says so where it applies rather than presenting it as an assessment made for you.

Kept in your browser only. Nothing is sent anywhere, and you can change it at any time from the header.

All countries

Islamic Republic of Iran

86Extreme86 of 100, Extreme band, 75 to 100good confidence(7/7 dimensions)
What this score means
Extreme75 to 100
Severe and systematic. Device search, interception and detention over online activity are documented rather than theoretical. Reconsider what you carry and what you say.
High50 to 74
Substantial and consistently evidenced measures. Device inspection, monitored networks or restricted services should be expected rather than treated as unlikely.
Caution25 to 49
Some risk, and manageable with precautions. Measures are evidenced but are narrow, inconsistently applied, or the picture is mixed.
Low0 to 24
Ordinary precautions. No systematic device search, network restriction or prosecution of visitors for online speech is evidenced.

Government travel advice is written for one citizenry, so the same country carries a different assessment depending on your passport. Change it in the header.

Showing the baseline, which weights every issuer equally. No government in our corpus publishes travel advice written for you, so this is not addressed to you specifically.

Dimensions

Each dimension is scored independently, because the traveller who cares about legal exposure for what they have posted is often not the one carrying client data. Higher means more risk.

Encryption and VPN legality

Are VPNs and strong encryption lawful, and can I be required to install an application or hand over keys?

100Extreme100 of 100, Extreme band, 75 to 100

good confidence9 independent sourcesEvidence is ageing: contributing sources are weighted at 41% of full strength.

Why this score (9 sources)

  • Widespread restrictions. In Iran, using encryption that prevents access of authorised individuals to data, computer and telecommunication systems is a crime punishable by imprisonment or a fine.

    Global Partners Digital, World Map of Encryption Laws and Policies · observed 2019-06-01

  • V-Dem Digital Society Project 2025 scored IRN 1.04 of 4 on whether the government regulates the internet in a way consistent with international human rights standards, where higher is freer. This does not establish whether encryption or VPN use is lawful. It measures internet regulation in general, and is used as indirect evidence because the only survey that reads encryption law directly was published in 2019.

    V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, Digital Society Project · observed 2025-12-31

  • OONI confirmed blocking on 42,645 of 100,633 measurements of anonymity and censorship circumvention tools in IRN over the 90 days to 2026-10-16, a confirmed blocking rate of 42.38 percent, with 11,941 further results inconclusive.

    Open Observatory of Network Interference, OONI measurement data · observed 2026-10-16

  • Iranian authorities are now warning citizens that sharing photos of bombed locations or even trying to access the global internet could get you prosecuted for “collaborating with the enemy”.

    Index on Censorship, via a site scoped search · observed 2026-03-12 · extracted by language model

  • Major platforms and VPN access have also been blocked or disrupted, severely limiting communication and the sharing of potentially lifesaving information.

    CIVICUS Monitor country updates · observed 2026-03-13 · extracted by language model

  • Popular platforms are censored , and encrypted messaging apps, on which protesters often rely t o organize , are blocked .

    Global Voices (Advox), via a site scoped search · observed 2023-09-28 · extracted by language model

  • The recently imposed restrictions include blocking access to Instagram and WhatsApp -- until now the last remaining unfiltered social media services, in addition to clamping down on apps like the Google Play Store, as well as VPNs.

    The Daily Star (Bangladesh), via a site scoped search · observed 2022-10-19 · extracted by language model

  • Similarly, the regime’s efforts to block virtual private networks ( VPNs ) and secure  HTTPS connections  can wreak havoc on corporate payment systems, multi-factor authentication and even corporate email.

    Rappler, via a site scoped search · observed 2026-01-15 · extracted by language model

  • In addition to the other restrictions, the government has spent time attacking and dismantling VPNs - virtual private networks - in order to prevent access to foreign websites.

    Middle East Eye, via a site scoped search · observed 2022-10-19 · extracted by language model

Report an inaccuracy (corrections need a link to the reporting, statute or research that shows it).

1 excluded source
  • Middle East Eye, via a site scoped search, observed 2023-06-03: aged out after 3 years.

Speech and legal exposure

What legal risk attaches to what I have said online, or say while I am there?

100Extreme100 of 100, Extreme band, 75 to 100

good confidence10 independent sourcesEvidence is ageing: contributing sources are weighted at 62% of full strength.

Why this score (20 sources)

Report an inaccuracy (corrections need a link to the reporting, statute or research that shows it).

6 excluded sources
  • Committee to Protect Journalists, via a site scoped search, observed 2024-04-22: aged out after 2 years.
  • Reporters Without Borders, via a site scoped search, observed 2022-09-26: aged out after 4 years.
  • Committee to Protect Journalists, via a site scoped search, observed 2007-07-01: aged out after 19 years.
  • Index on Censorship, via a site scoped search, observed 2024-06-13: aged out after 2 years.
  • Index on Censorship, via a site scoped search, observed 2024-05-03: aged out after 2 years.
  • Middle East Eye, via a site scoped search, observed 2023-04-12: aged out after 4 years.

Connectivity continuity

How likely am I to lose access to the internet, or to the specific tools I depend on?

100Extreme100 of 100, Extreme band, 75 to 100

good confidence22 independent sourcesEvidence is ageing: contributing sources are weighted at 63% of full strength.

Why this score (100 sources)

Report an inaccuracy (corrections need a link to the reporting, statute or research that shows it).

5 excluded sources
  • Committee to Protect Journalists, via a site scoped search, observed 2024-04-22: aged out after 2 years.
  • Middle East Eye, via a site scoped search, observed 2023-06-03: aged out after 3 years.
  • Reporters Without Borders, via a site scoped search, observed 2022-09-26: aged out after 4 years.
  • Committee to Protect Journalists, via a site scoped search, observed 2023-09-05: aged out after 3 years.
  • Middle East Eye, via a site scoped search, observed 2022-09-27: aged out after 4 years.

Surveillance and interception

How comprehensively are communications intercepted, retained, and monitored, and is commercial spyware in use?

92Extreme92 of 100, Extreme band, 75 to 100

good confidence10 independent sourcesEvidence is ageing: contributing sources are weighted at 57% of full strength.

Why this score (13 sources)

  • Freedom House 2026 scored IRN 0 of 4 on freedom to express personal views on sensitive topics without fear of surveillance or retribution.

    Freedom House, Freedom in the World · observed 2026-01-01

  • V-Dem Digital Society Project 2025 scored IRN 0.92 of 4 on how comprehensively the government monitors social media and private online communication, where higher is freer.

    V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, Digital Society Project · observed 2025-12-31

  • V-Dem Digital Society Project 2025 scored IRN 2.28 of 4 on how far privacy protection law shields communications from government access, where higher is freer. This measures what privacy law permits rather than what monitoring is practised, so it is read here as a constraint on interception rather than a measurement of it.

    V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, Digital Society Project · observed 2025-12-31

  • The World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2025 scored IRN 0.13 of 1 on whether freedom from arbitrary interference with privacy is effectively guaranteed, a measure built from expert assessments of warrantless interception of communications. The same score has stood unchanged since the 2023 edition.

    World Justice Project, Rule of Law Index, sub-factor 4.6 · observed 2023-01-01

  • Most frequently, messages from mobile operators to Iranian users characterise the sharing of images from bombing sites or “anti-government” sentiment as a “security violation”, effectively deputising mobile phones as tracking devices for dissent.

    Index on Censorship, via a site scoped search · observed 2026-03-12 · extracted by language model

  • “The use of spyware to harass journalists represents a chilling escalation in Iran’s campaign to intimidate and silence independent media,” said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah.

    Committee to Protect Journalists, via a site scoped search · observed 2025-07-09 · extracted by language model

  • There are reports indicating that the police are using surveillance cameras to identify and monitor women who don’t wear the hijab in public places, as required by Iranian law.

    Global Affairs Canada, Travel advice and advisories · observed 2026-10-16 · written for CAN nationals · extracted by language model

  • Using advanced facial recognition software and tracking online interactions, the government identifies and harasses those who dare to dissent .

    Global Voices (Advox), via a site scoped search · observed 2023-09-28 · extracted by language model

  • In recent months, reports have emerged that the Iranian regime has fortified its mass surveillance capabilities, installing surveillance cameras in public spaces, including facial recognition technologies, to track and target women who do not comply with the country’s restrictive hijab rules.

    Access Now feed · observed 2023-09-14 · extracted by language model

  • Iran stepped up surveillance of social media following the nationwide women-led anti-establishment protests in 2022.

    The National (Papua New Guinea), via a site scoped search · observed 2024-09-17 · extracted by language model

  • Canadians in Iran are likely to be subject to increased surveillance and scrutiny by Iranian authorities, including for activities and behaviours that would be considered normal in Canada, including:

    Global Affairs Canada, Travel advice and advisories · observed 2026-10-16 · written for CAN nationals · extracted by language model

  • Even after release from prison, if they are lucky, these musicians still face surveillance and control.

    Index on Censorship, via a site scoped search · observed 2025-03-06 · extracted by language model

  • Intercepted Iranian communications downplayed the extent of damage caused by U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear program, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing four people familiar with classified intelligence circulating within the U.S. government.

    Daily Maverick feed · observed 2025-06-29 · extracted by language model

Report an inaccuracy (corrections need a link to the reporting, statute or research that shows it).

1 excluded source
  • Middle East Eye, via a site scoped search, observed 2023-04-26: aged out after 3 years.

Border device risk

How likely is my device to be searched, imaged, or seized at the border, and can I be compelled to unlock it?

83Extreme83 of 100, Extreme band, 75 to 100

good confidence6 independent sources

Why this score (6 sources)

Report an inaccuracy (corrections need a link to the reporting, statute or research that shows it).

Network threat

How hostile is the network environment to a foreign visitor, from state actors and criminals alike?

64High64 of 100, High band, 50 to 74

good confidence5 independent sourcesEvidence is ageing: contributing sources are weighted at 46% of full strength.

Why this score (6 sources)

  • ITU Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, Technical pillar: 14.49 of 20.

    International Telecommunication Union, Global Cybersecurity Index · observed 2024-12-31

  • Freedom House scored Iran 8 of 25 on obstacles to access in Freedom on the Net, a category covering state control over internet infrastructure and gateways, regulatory and ownership control over service providers, and the independence of the regulator.

    Freedom House, Freedom on the Net, obstacles to access · observed 2025-01-01

  • Hackers linked with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) infiltrated the Telegram accounts of current and former staff of the outlet Iran International in a targeted campaign to intimidate and silence journalists, the London-based broadcaster reported Tuesday.

    Committee to Protect Journalists, via a site scoped search · observed 2025-07-09 · extracted by language model

  • Le CGRI aurait travaillé avec un groupe de cyber-acteurs malveillants basés en Iran qui ont attaqué les États-Unis et les pays alliés depuis 2020.

    Our translation: The IRGC allegedly worked with a group of malicious cyber actors based in Iran that have attacked the United States and allied countries since 2020.

    Euractiv, via a site scoped search · observed 2022-09-15 · extracted by language model

  • Los sabotajes que afectaron en verano a infraestructuras hídricas de 12 Estados apuntan a ‘hackers’ iraníes, muy activos desde el inicio de la guerra

    Our translation: The sabotage that affected water infrastructure in 12 states in the summer points to Iranian ‘hackers’, very active since the beginning of the war

    El País feed · observed 2026-09-29 · extracted by language model

  • In a statement , the broadcaster said it had been notified of cyberattacks aimed at some of its journalists in Europe and North America, and that 63 of its journalists were included on a list of citizens abroad whose assets have been seized and bank accounts frozen by the Tehran prosecutor’s office.

    Committee to Protect Journalists, via a site scoped search · observed 2026-04-16 · extracted by language model

Report an inaccuracy (corrections need a link to the reporting, statute or research that shows it).

6 excluded sources
  • The Record feed, observed 2023-12-19: aged out after 3 years.
  • The Register feed, observed 2024-08-28: aged out after 2 years.
  • Rappler, via a site scoped search, observed 2024-08-09: aged out after 2 years.
  • The Daily Star (Bangladesh), via a site scoped search, observed 2023-12-19: aged out after 3 years.
  • The Record feed, observed 2023-12-18: aged out after 3 years.
  • Euractiv, via a site scoped search, observed 2022-09-07: aged out after 4 years.

Data jurisdiction

What happens to corporate or client data I carry into the jurisdiction?

44Caution44 of 100, Caution band, 25 to 49

moderate confidence1 independent source

Why this score (1 source)

Report an inaccuracy (corrections need a link to the reporting, statute or research that shows it).

Trend

02550751002026-08-162026-10-16

The overall score is up 4.9 points over 61 days, from 80.9 to 85.8. Most movement is the event overlay decaying rather than anything happening: a news signal loses half its weight every three weeks, so a score drifts back toward its structural baseline on its own. A step that holds is the one worth reading.

Check this yourself

These are not inputs to the score for Islamic Republic of Iran. They are where to look if you want to test what is above against something we did not use.

Sources

This assessment draws on 32 sources: Access Now feed; Auswärtiges Amt, Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise; CIVICUS Monitor country updates; Committee to Protect Journalists, via a site scoped search; Daily Maverick feed; El País feed; Euractiv, via a site scoped search; Freedom House, Freedom in the World; Freedom House, Freedom on the Net, obstacles to access; Georgia Tech Internet Intelligence Lab, Internet Outage Detection and Analysis; Global Affairs Canada, Travel advice and advisories; Global Partners Digital, World Map of Encryption Laws and Policies; Global Voices (Advox), via a site scoped search; Index on Censorship, via a site scoped search; International Telecommunication Union, Global Cybersecurity Index; Jamaica Observer, via a site scoped search; Middle East Eye, via a site scoped search; Multiple, via Google News, Google News search results; MyJoyOnline, via a site scoped search; Open Observatory of Network Interference, OONI measurement data; Rappler, via a site scoped search; Reporters Without Borders, via a site scoped search; Schneier on Security feed; The Daily Star (Bangladesh), via a site scoped search; The Guardian feed; The National (Papua New Guinea), via a site scoped search; The Register feed; The Straits Times feed; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Foreign travel advice; US Department of State, Travel Advisories; V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, Digital Society Project; World Justice Project, Rule of Law Index, sub-factor 4.6. Every contributing claim is quoted with its origin and date above. Model version 0.12.0, computed 2026-10-16.

If something here is wrong, say so. Corrections are handled in public, and we correct because the evidence is wrong, not because someone objects.