Media Corruption Score in Iran

Iran: Media Corruption Score was -1.46 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
-1.46
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
158th
of 175 countries
All-time high
0.884
in 1997
All-time low
-2.54
in 1925
Years of data
126
1900–2025

Media Corruption Score in Iran, 1900–2025

-3-2-101190019622025

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

Analysis

Iran recorded -1.46 for media corruption score in 2025.

The figure is down 24.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, media corruption score in Iran peaked at 0.884 in 1997 and was at its lowest, -2.54, in 1925.

That places Iran 158th out of 175 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

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1900s -1.25 -1.71 -0.013 10
1910s -0.013 -0.013 -0.013 10
1920s -2.1 -2.54 -0.013 10
1930s -2.54 -2.54 -2.54 10
1940s -0.7463 -2.1 0.005 10
1950s -1.21 -1.55 -0.411 10
1960s -1.36 -1.36 -1.36 10
1970s -1.3 -1.36 -0.716 10
1980s -1.84 -2 -0.987 10
1990s 0.5294 0.272 0.884 10
2000s -0.222 -1.32 0.884 10
2010s -1.23 -1.31 -1.09 10
2020s -1.58 -1.83 -1.46 6

Countries ranked near Iran

  1. 155 Eswatini -1.24 compare
  2. 156 Burundi -1.27 compare
  3. 157 Myanmar -1.28 compare
  4. 159 United Arab Emirates -1.51 compare
  5. 160 Egypt -1.54 compare
  6. 161 Saudi Arabia -1.58 compare

See the full ranking of 175 places →

More social development data for Iran

All data for Iran →

Frequently asked questions

What is media corruption score in Iran?
Media corruption score in Iran was -1.46 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest media corruption score recorded in Iran?
The highest recorded value was 0.884 in 1997.
What is the lowest media corruption score recorded in Iran?
The lowest recorded value was -2.54 in 1925.
How does Iran rank for media corruption score?
Iran ranks 158th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
Is media corruption score rising or falling in Iran?
Over the last ten years it is down 24.6%. 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 Media Corruption Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Media Corruption Score
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
175 places, 18,887 data points, 1900–2025
Last refreshed

Gauges the frequency with which journalists, publishers, or broadcasters accept payments to modify news content, indicating the integrity (or corruption) of the media sphere.