According to Aljazeera News, Iran’s police have arrested 466 individuals accused of stirring public opinion and conducting online propaganda in favour of the enemy, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), in what authorities described as a major crackdown on digital dissent.
The arrests, carried out over the past several weeks across multiple provinces, target individuals allegedly operating social media accounts and channels that spread content critical of the government. Iranian police officials stated that the detained suspects were part of coordinated efforts to amplify anti-state narratives and destabilize public sentiment.
According to IRNA, authorities seized electronic devices, including mobile phones and laptops, during the operations, the arrests come amid heightened vigilance by Iranian security forces as the country navigates ongoing economic pressures and regional tensions.
Brigadier General Saeed Montazer al-Mahdi, a police spokesperson, detailed the scope of the operation in a statement carried by state media. “These individuals were systematically stirring public opinion and conducting online propaganda in favour of the enemy, he said. “Our cyber units have identified and dismantled networks that sought to undermine social security through psychological operations.
The announcement follows a pattern of periodic crackdowns on online activity deemed threatening to the Islamic Republic. Human rights organizations have frequently criticized Iran’s cyber laws and the detention of activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens for social media posts deemed critical of the establishment.
Legal proceedings against the detained individuals have reportedly begun, with some facing charges that could carry lengthy prison sentences. Iranian officials emphasized that the operations would continue as part of ongoing efforts to safeguard national security against what they describe as foreign-backed influence campaigns targeting public opinion.
The arrests drew no immediate reaction from international rights groups, though past mass detentions of online dissidents have drawn condemnation from Western governments and free speech advocates.