Freedom of Expression Score in Iran, Islamic Rep.
Iran, Islamic Rep.: Freedom of Expression Score was 1 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Freedom of Expression Score in Iran, Islamic Rep., 2005–2025
Source: Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Iran, Islamic Rep. recorded 1 for freedom of expression score in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of expression score in Iran, Islamic Rep. peaked at 4 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 1, in 2013.
That places Iran, Islamic Rep. 116th out of 128 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.67 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| 2010s | 1.6 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 2020s | 1.33 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Iran, Islamic Rep.
- 116 Afghanistan 1 compare
- 116 Bahrain 1 compare
- 116 China 1 compare
- 116 Eritrea 1 compare
- 116 Libya 1 compare
- 116 Myanmar 1 compare
- 116 Korea, Dem. People's Rep. 1 compare
- 116 Oman 1 compare
- 116 Tajikistan 1 compare
- 116 Turkmenistan 1 compare
- 116 Viet Nam 1 compare
- 116 Yemen, Rep. 1 compare
More social development data for Iran, Islamic Rep.
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 770,514 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 157,912 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 1 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.103 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Human Rights Index 0.248 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.042 (2025)
- Key features of human rights 0.248 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is freedom of expression score in Iran, Islamic Rep.?
- Freedom of expression score in Iran, Islamic Rep. was 1 in 2025, according to Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom of expression score recorded in Iran, Islamic Rep.?
- The highest recorded value was 4 in 2005.
- What is the lowest freedom of expression score recorded in Iran, Islamic Rep.?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 2013.
- How does Iran, Islamic Rep. rank for freedom of expression score?
- Iran, Islamic Rep. ranks 116th out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of expression score rising or falling in Iran, Islamic Rep.?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran, Islamic Rep. data come from?
- The figures come from Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Indicates the extent to which individuals, groups, and the press can express their views free from government interference.