Iran

Since the 1979 Iranian revolution, the Islamic Republic of Iran has assembled a complex set of institutions designed to monitor virtually all aspects of political and social life in the country. This includes traditional intelligence agencies that monitor opposition groups as well as agencies focused on enforcing strict Islamic mortality codes. More recently, the regime has worked to monitor and limit the use of the Internet by citizens of Iran. In the realm of foreign affairs, the Islamic government has expanded its regional influence, supporting terrorist and insurgent groups abroad and engaging in foreign surveillance and espionage.