From protest to precaution: Iranians in India delete anti-regime posts amid threats from Tehran

Iranians living in India, many of whom have long been vocal critics of Tehran’s regime, are increasingly self-censoring on social media after warnings from Iran’s prosecutor general on Monday. The office threatened to confiscate properties of Iranians abroad who support the US-Israel strikes against Iran and warned of heavy penalties, sparking fresh anxiety among expatriates with family, homes, or business interests in Iran.

For many, the warnings prompted immediate action. One Iranian woman in India with over 10,000 Instagram followers said she deleted numerous anti-regime posts after receiving a direct threat related to opposing Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. “Even though I don’t own much property back home, I cannot risk endangering my family,” she said to TOI.

Others recalled past crackdowns. Roya, whose family lost businesses and apartments in 1988 over alleged anti-regime activity, described the lasting financial and emotional impact. “We still live with fear. I cannot put my family in Iran in danger,” she told TOI. She said memories of that earlier crackdown still live with her physically. As a child, she said, she would tremble whenever the doorbell rang or the landline phone rang, terrified that someone from the regime would arrive, barge in and take her father away. "That fear still lingers inside me. I can't afford to put him and my other family members in Iran under danger," she added.


Online, the environment has grown more restrictive. Telegram channels aligned with the regime have circulated photos of expatriates who protested against Tehran, labeling them traitors and warning of consequences such as property confiscation, citizenship revocation, and travel bans. Asadi, an Iranian living in Mumbai, noted that since the announcement, most expatriates have become cautious, avoiding posts critical of the regime."The post that I came across features photos and details of around 20 Iranians from the West with a caption saying, ‘Being a traitor doesn't go without punishment anymore. They will be identified," he said to TOI.

According to Asadi, the messages threatened punitive action including revoking citizenship, banning entry to Iran, confiscating property and stripping inheritance rights. "Since Monday, all the Iranians have become more careful on social media and are desisting from posting anything anti-regime," he said.

He added that the situation has become more complex after US and Israeli strikes on Iranian civilian infrastructure. “Those protesting abroad supported the regime’s ouster, but with attacks harming ordinary Iranians, supporting foreign forces now risks hurting our own people,” he said.

With TOI inputs