Fear is deepening among many Iranians as the Islamic Republic emerges from war and protests more entrenched and, according to critics, more vengeful. Despite unrest and external attacks that some hoped would weaken the leadership, residents say the state remains firmly in control, with the Revolutionary Guards wielding greater influence and dissent increasingly dangerous.

Interviews with citizens, activists and journalists inside the country describe a climate of repression marked by mass arrests and a surge in executions. The Washington-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports tens of thousands detained during earlier protests, with thousands more arrested since the war began. At least 21 political detainees were executed during the conflict, the highest number in such a short span in more than three decades.

Lawyers say prison conditions have worsened, and journalists fear espionage charges that can carry the death penalty simply for reporting on the war. Many opposition supporters believe that once the conflict fully subsides, authorities will intensify their crackdown. For some, the streets have fallen silent not because dissent has disappeared, but because survival has become the overriding concern.