Iranian authorities have arrested more than 3,600 people in a sweeping crackdown tied to the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel, according to the Norway-based group Iran Human Rights, which said at least 3,646 individuals have been detained since late February.
The figure italigns with a broader pattern of escalating repression reported in recent weeks as tensions with Washington and Tel Aviv intensify.
According to the NGO, those arrested include activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens accused of sharing information with foreign media or posting sensitive material online. Authorities have also targeted individuals using satellite internet technology, particularly Starlink devices, which are banned in Iran.
"The real number is likely higher," the group warned, citing internet shutdowns and restricted communications that make it difficult to document arrests in real time.
Iranian officials have framed the detentions as necessary for national security, accusing suspects of espionage, collaboration with hostile governments, and spreading destabilizing information. State-linked media have repeatedly referred to detainees as "agents of the enemy," language that human rights advocates say is often used to justify broad and opaque arrests.
The crackdown has been building for weeks. In March, Reuters reported that Iranian police detained 466 people over online activity deemed to be "undermining national security." At the time, local media suggested that more than 1,000 arrests had already taken place in connection with the conflict, including individuals accused of filming sensitive sites or sharing anti-government content.
Iran's Intelligence Ministry has also announced arrests of alleged spies, including foreign nationals. In separate cases, authorities said they detained individuals accused of working with U.S. and Israeli intelligence, though details were limited and not independently verified.
The use of satellite technology has become a particular focus. On April 19, Iranian media reported the arrest of four people, including two foreigners, accused of importing Starlink equipment and participating in what officials described as an espionage network linked to Washington and Israel.
Human rights groups say the scale of the arrests suggests the government is using the external conflict to intensify internal control. Critics argue that accusations such as espionage or foreign collaboration are being applied broadly, often without transparent evidence.
"The war has become a pretext," one regional analyst told reporters, pointing to a familiar pattern in which external threats are used to justify domestic crackdowns.
While Iranian authorities insist the measures are aimed at protecting national security, the widening scope of arrests has raised concerns that dissent, independent reporting, and even access to uncensored information are increasingly being treated as criminal acts.
