...

Iranians [fear] a stifling climate of censorship and intimidation — one that risks becoming even more repressive as the United States and Israel continue their strikes and threaten to intensify them unless Tehran admits military defeat.

Hundreds of people have been arrested, and the regime has launched a campaign to prosecute those accused of espionage or co-operating with anyone deemed part of Iran's opposition.

One Iranian [said] that residents are receiving text messages with headlines the government wants the public to read. While Iranian state media routinely shares images of missile alerts in Israel and damage from strikes, there is little official information about the destruction inside Iran after nearly four weeks of war.

"When you follow the state media, you get the feeling that Israel is being crushed, Trump is humiliated and so on," said a 27-year-old who had been living in Tehran but left during the war to stay with his father outside the capital.

"When you get the chance to see what Iran International [a London-based Persian-language news outlet] is saying, you feel the opposite," he wrote in a message over Telegram.

...

Like many others, [one Iranian] struggled to communicate with anyone outside Iran because of widespread internet blackouts. But after buying what he described as a very expensive VPN, he was able to send messages.

"I don't really know if it is going to end soon. I hope it will. The people are really concerned about their financial situation and whether they will be able to survive and for how long."

He wrote that the only people gathering in the streets these days are pro-government supporters, who sometimes chant and wave flags for hours each evening.

...

Regime 'aims to create fear and intimidation'

While Iranian state media is publishing footage of flag-waving rallies and what they say are missiles headed toward a U.S. aircraft carrier, they are also airing videos showing the arrests of those accused of working against the regime.

...