In the weeks since the conflict began, Iranian authorities have arrested more than 700 citizens—all accused of collaborating with foreign powers or spreading anti-government sentiments.
In response to Israeli and American airstrikes, the Iranian government has launched a sweeping and severe domestic crackdown intended to control dissent, reinforce national unity, and project strength despite internal and external pressures. The government’s response suggests insecurity over the nation’s stability—perhaps understandable, given the impropriety with which Israel and America operated within Iranian airspace during the recent conflict, devastating parts of Iran’s coveted nuclear and military infrastructure.
Mass Arrests Are Underway in Iran
In the weeks since the escalation with the United States and Israel, Iranian authorities have arrested more than 700 citizens—all accused of either espionage, collaborating with foreign powers, or spreading anti-government sentiments. The Iranian judiciary has fast-tracked trials using national security statutes; it has already carried out at least six executions, with more expected shortly. The individuals executed have been accused of crimes such as leaking sensitive military locations to Israeli intelligence and spreading rumors online that could damage national morale.
Leading the crackdown is the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s ideological army tasked with protecting the clerical state. Reports from inside Iran suggest the establishment of new “patriotic security courts” that have been designed to bypass standard legal protections and fast-track punishment. In addition, security checkpoints have been installed in Tehran, Isfahan, and Qom, with increased military patrols throughout the country, even in typically pro-regime areas. Meanwhile, the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence has doubled down on its online surveillance operations by targeting virtual private networks (VPNs), encrypted messaging apps, and accounts suspected of anti-regime content.
The Iranian Regime Has Deployed Its Propaganda Machines
Running simultaneously to the mass arrest scheme is an intensifying nationalist and religious propaganda campaign. On state television, the regime has aired repeated footage of the funerals of airstrike victims, with high-ranking clerics delivering eulogies denouncing Israel, the United States, and internal traitors. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has framed the confrontation with Israel as a necessary test of Iran’s willpower, a “divine trial.” Across the country, posters and billboards have been erected showing martyrs from the recent strikes, complete with a blend of anti-Zionist imagery.
In a rather dramatic gesture, Iran’s Council of Senior Clerics issued a fatwa that condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump as warlords and oppressors. The fatwa carries no legal substance outside of Iran—yet it reflects the regime’s tendency to invoke religious authority to boost domestic standing.
The Iranian Crackdown Comes Amid Signs of Public Discontent
However, despite the crackdown, signs of public discontent are starting to poke through. Reports from human rights organizations, such as Amnesty International and the Center for Human Rights in Iran, have described an increase in protest activity in Kurdish regions, student boycotts at universities, and heightened underground resistance. However, the regime is taking measures to prevent such dissent through mass detentions, internet patrolling, and the intimidation of families.
Of course, the regime’s current actions have long-term risks. Iran’s educated urban youth is already frustrated with the country’s economic stagnation and freedom repression; a government crackdown is likely to cause further alienation. Nationwide, the regime’s trust gap with the general public is likely to widen.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a Senior Defense and National Security Writer at The National Interest. Kass is an attorney and former political candidate who joined the US Air Force as a pilot trainee before being medically discharged. He focuses on military strategy, aerospace, and global security affairs. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global Journalism and International Relations from NYU.
Image: Shutterstock / saeediex.
