What is freedom of expression index in Iran?

Freedom of expression index in Iran was 0.166 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Iran?

The highest recorded value was 0.489 in 1951.

What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Iran?

The lowest recorded value was 0.053 in 1982.

How does Iran rank for freedom of expression index?

Iran ranks 151st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Iran?

Over the last ten years it is down 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Iran data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Freedom of Expression Index in Iran

Name: Freedom of Expression Index in Iran
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Iran: Freedom of Expression Index was 0.166 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.166

Change on year

down 27.8%

World rank

151st

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.489

in 1951

All-time low

0.053

in 1982

Years of data

189

1837–2025

Freedom of Expression Index in Iran, 1837–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, freedom of expression index in Iran stood at 0.166.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 27.8% on the previous year and down 16.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, freedom of expression index in Iran peaked at 0.489 in 1951 and was at its lowest, 0.053, in 1982.

Iran ranks 151st of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Freedom of Expression Index in Iran, year by year

Annual values for Freedom of Expression Index in Iran, 1837 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1837	0.128	—
1838	0.128	+0.0%
1839	0.128	+0.0%
1840	0.128	+0.0%
1841	0.128	+0.0%
1842	0.128	+0.0%
1843	0.128	+0.0%
1844	0.128	+0.0%
1845	0.128	+0.0%
1846	0.128	+0.0%
1847	0.128	+0.0%
1848	0.122	-4.7%
1849	0.122	+0.0%
1850	0.122	+0.0%
1851	0.122	+0.0%
1852	0.122	+0.0%
1853	0.122	+0.0%
1854	0.122	+0.0%
1855	0.122	+0.0%
1856	0.122	+0.0%
1857	0.122	+0.0%
1858	0.122	+0.0%
1859	0.122	+0.0%
1860	0.122	+0.0%
1861	0.122	+0.0%
1862	0.122	+0.0%
1863	0.122	+0.0%
1864	0.122	+0.0%
1865	0.122	+0.0%
1866	0.122	+0.0%
1867	0.122	+0.0%
1868	0.122	+0.0%
1869	0.122	+0.0%
1870	0.122	+0.0%
1871	0.122	+0.0%
1872	0.122	+0.0%
1873	0.122	+0.0%
1874	0.122	+0.0%
1875	0.122	+0.0%
1876	0.122	+0.0%
1877	0.122	+0.0%
1878	0.122	+0.0%
1879	0.122	+0.0%
1880	0.122	+0.0%
1881	0.122	+0.0%
1882	0.122	+0.0%
1883	0.122	+0.0%
1884	0.122	+0.0%
1885	0.122	+0.0%
1886	0.122	+0.0%
1887	0.122	+0.0%
1888	0.122	+0.0%
1889	0.122	+0.0%
1890	0.122	+0.0%
1891	0.122	+0.0%
1892	0.122	+0.0%
1893	0.122	+0.0%
1894	0.122	+0.0%
1895	0.122	+0.0%
1896	0.122	+0.0%
1897	0.122	+0.0%
1898	0.122	+0.0%
1899	0.122	+0.0%
1900	0.115	-5.7%
1901	0.115	+0.0%
1902	0.115	+0.0%
1903	0.115	+0.0%
1904	0.115	+0.0%
1905	0.115	+0.0%
1906	0.289	+151.3%
1907	0.358	+23.9%
1908	0.358	+0.0%
1909	0.372	+3.9%
1910	0.371	-0.3%
1911	0.371	+0.0%
1912	0.371	+0.0%
1913	0.371	+0.0%
1914	0.371	+0.0%
1915	0.371	+0.0%
1916	0.371	+0.0%
1917	0.371	+0.0%
1918	0.371	+0.0%
1919	0.371	+0.0%
1920	0.381	+2.7%
1921	0.201	-47.2%
1922	0.191	-5.0%
1923	0.155	-18.8%
1924	0.155	+0.0%
1925	0.098	-36.8%
1926	0.093	-5.1%
1927	0.086	-7.5%
1928	0.086	+0.0%
1929	0.086	+0.0%
1930	0.086	+0.0%
1931	0.086	+0.0%
1932	0.086	+0.0%
1933	0.086	+0.0%
1934	0.076	-11.6%
1935	0.076	+0.0%
1936	0.076	+0.0%
1937	0.076	+0.0%
1938	0.076	+0.0%
1939	0.076	+0.0%
1940	0.076	+0.0%
1941	0.1	+31.6%
1942	0.424	+324.0%
1943	0.424	+0.0%
1944	0.424	+0.0%
1945	0.424	+0.0%
1946	0.424	+0.0%
1947	0.424	+0.0%
1948	0.41	-3.3%
1949	0.41	+0.0%
1950	0.473	+15.4%
1951	0.489	+3.4%
1952	0.489	+0.0%
1953	0.17	-65.2%
1954	0.097	-42.9%
1955	0.097	+0.0%
1956	0.097	+0.0%
1957	0.097	+0.0%
1958	0.097	+0.0%
1959	0.097	+0.0%
1960	0.1	+3.1%
1961	0.1	+0.0%
1962	0.104	+4.0%
1963	0.092	-11.5%
1964	0.089	-3.3%
1965	0.089	+0.0%
1966	0.089	+0.0%
1967	0.089	+0.0%
1968	0.089	+0.0%
1969	0.089	+0.0%
1970	0.092	+3.4%
1971	0.092	+0.0%
1972	0.092	+0.0%
1973	0.087	-5.4%
1974	0.087	+0.0%
1975	0.087	+0.0%
1976	0.087	+0.0%
1977	0.087	+0.0%
1978	0.104	+19.5%
1979	0.226	+117.3%
1980	0.158	-30.1%
1981	0.064	-59.5%
1982	0.053	-17.2%
1983	0.053	+0.0%
1984	0.06	+13.2%
1985	0.06	+0.0%
1986	0.06	+0.0%
1987	0.06	+0.0%
1988	0.06	+0.0%
1989	0.088	+46.7%
1990	0.121	+37.5%
1991	0.123	+1.7%
1992	0.123	+0.0%
1993	0.129	+4.9%
1994	0.129	+0.0%
1995	0.136	+5.4%
1996	0.15	+10.3%
1997	0.337	+124.7%
1998	0.361	+7.1%
1999	0.374	+3.6%
2000	0.365	-2.4%
2001	0.349	-4.4%
2002	0.349	+0.0%
2003	0.349	+0.0%
2004	0.345	-1.1%
2005	0.23	-33.3%
2006	0.223	-3.0%
2007	0.223	+0.0%
2008	0.223	+0.0%
2009	0.212	-4.9%
2010	0.16	-24.5%
2011	0.16	+0.0%
2012	0.16	+0.0%
2013	0.169	+5.6%
2014	0.192	+13.6%
2015	0.199	+3.6%
2016	0.2	+0.5%
2017	0.214	+7.0%
2018	0.19	-11.2%
2019	0.189	-0.5%
2020	0.179	-5.3%
2021	0.169	-5.6%
2022	0.125	-26.0%
2023	0.149	+19.2%
2024	0.23	+54.4%
2025	0.166	-27.8%

Iran compared with similar countries

Iran's 0.166 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.6745, 25% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Iran's 0.166 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.367, 45% of the median. (23 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1830s	0.128	0.128	0.128	3
1840s	0.1268	0.122	0.128	10
1850s	0.122	0.122	0.122	10
1860s	0.122	0.122	0.122	10
1870s	0.122	0.122	0.122	10
1880s	0.122	0.122	0.122	10
1890s	0.122	0.122	0.122	10
1900s	0.2067	0.115	0.372	10
1910s	0.371	0.371	0.371	10
1920s	0.1532	0.086	0.381	10
1930s	0.08	0.076	0.086	10
1940s	0.354	0.076	0.424	10
1950s	0.2203	0.097	0.489	10
1960s	0.093	0.089	0.104	10
1970s	0.1041	0.087	0.226	10
1980s	0.0716	0.053	0.158	10
1990s	0.1983	0.121	0.374	10
2000s	0.2868	0.212	0.365	10
2010s	0.1833	0.16	0.214	10
2020s	0.1697	0.125	0.23	6

Countries ranked near Iran

149 Bahrain 0.172 compare
150 Rwanda 0.17 compare
152 Burundi 0.164 compare
153 South Sudan 0.155 compare
154 Cambodia 0.153 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Iran

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 770,514 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 157,912 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0017 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 157,912 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0083 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Iran →

Frequently asked questions

What is freedom of expression index in Iran?: Freedom of expression index in Iran was 0.166 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest freedom of expression index recorded in Iran?: The highest recorded value was 0.489 in 1951.
What is the lowest freedom of expression index recorded in Iran?: The lowest recorded value was 0.053 in 1982.
How does Iran rank for freedom of expression index?: Iran ranks 151st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is freedom of expression index rising or falling in Iran?: Over the last ten years it is down 16.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Iran data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Freedom of Expression Index in Iran. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/freedom-of-expression-index/iran-islamic-rep/

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About this data

Indicator: Freedom of Expression Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,035 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which people can discuss political matters at home and in the public sphere, the press, and media are free and can present different political perspectives, and the freedom of academic and cultural expression.