Iran Uses Israel Conflict to Intensify Domestic Crackdown

Amid escalating tensions with Israel, Iran's government is ramping up its internal repression under the pretext of national security. Just one day after Israel launched its "Rising Lion" military operation with missile strikes targeting Iranian territory, authorities in Tehran arrested 16 individuals for allegedly "spreading rumours" online. These arrests marked the beginning of a broader crackdown.

Since the onset of the conflict, over 223 people have been detained according to compiled reports from rights groups, although some organizations, such as the Norwegian-based Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, report the number exceeds 500 across 27 of Iran's 30 provinces.

Security forces, particularly the Basij paramilitary units under the Revolutionary Guards, have deployed heavily throughout the country. Detainees are often accused without clear evidence, sometimes simply for suspicious behavior near military sites or for alleged arson.

The Iranian regime claims many of the arrested are linked to Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency. These accusations have led to fast-tracked trials and executions. Three prisoners have been executed on espionage charges since Israeli strikes began. Most recently, Mohammad Amin Mahdavi-Shayesteh was executed at dawn for alleged collaboration with Israel. Two others, Majid Mosayebi and Ismail Fakri, were executed the previous week on similar charges.

Iran’s top judiciary official, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, has publicly demanded swift sentencing for anyone suspected of aiding Israel, stating that no leniency will be shown if guilt is proven.

These internal actions are not entirely without basis, as Israeli intelligence reportedly penetrated high levels of Iranian leadership before launching the June 13 airstrikes. According to security sources, Israel had spent years tracking and targeting key military and nuclear figures within Iran. Mossad is also reported to have helped build a secret drone base inside the country with the help of Iranian dissidents.

This deep infiltration has fed paranoia within the Iranian leadership, according to analysts such as Jonathan Piron of the Etopia research centre in Brussels. That paranoia has now become a justification for intensified repression.

Even before the conflict, Iran regularly accused and punished individuals for espionage. The war with Israel has provided a convenient backdrop to accelerate such measures. Besides street arrests, authorities have cracked down on online dissent. More than 200 people have been arrested for digital activity deemed suspicious, and internet blackouts have become frequent — officially to prevent Israeli cyberattacks, but in practice also limiting internal communication and mobilization.

Human rights organizations have issued warnings. Iran Human Rights and Amnesty International have raised concerns about arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, and executions being used as tools of control and intimidation. In 2024, Iran carried out at least 975 executions, the highest number since monitoring began in 2008.

Despite this repression, no significant internal uprising has emerged. Public demonstrations have ceased since the conflict began, and while prominent figures like Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi and student activists have voiced criticism, widespread protests have not materialized.

For now, ordinary Iranians appear more focused on survival than resistance. Iran’s leadership is seizing this moment to solidify control, fearing that any future unrest could threaten the regime’s stability. As Piron notes, this aggressive strategy is likely designed to suppress opposition before it has a chance to grow.