This report notes that in Iran, “conversion to another religion is forbidden in Islam and punishable.” This is why many of these Evangelical Christians are persecuted today, as they are converts from Islam. The article also states: “According to the Islamic constitution of Iran, traditional established Eastern churches are officially recognized and are free to operate and serve their congregations, which mainly have ethnic composition; such as the Armenian or the Assyrian communities.” This official recognition, however, is respected only so long as the Christians in those Churches are careful never to discuss their faith with Muslims; any convert from Islam to one of Iran’s traditional Churches would be treated by authorities with just as much hostility.
If the Iranian authorities granted all Christians in that land full religious freedom, there would be a new flowering of Christianity in Iran. Please pray that this one day will come to pass.
“Nine Evangelical Christians Reported Arrested During Christmas Week In Iran,” Radio Farda, December 30, 2018:
Tasnim news agency connected with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reported on Sunday that nine evangelical Christians have been arrested in recent days in Alborz province, neighboring the capital Tehran.
Tasnim had already reported the arrest of four Christians on Saturday and on Sunday it said five more were arrested on December 26, a day after Christmas. It is not clear when exactly the first four were detained.
The Islamic Republic regularly persecutes people who convert from Islam to Christianity and most converts try to worship secretly in home-churches. A few Christian preachers have been killed or received long prison terms in the past. International human rights organizations have condemned Tehran for its policy towards converts.
Conversion to another religion is forbidden in Islam and punishable….
According to the Islamic constitution of Iran, traditional established Eastern churches are officially recognized and are free to operate and serve their congregations, which mainly have ethnic composition; such as the Armenian or the Assyrian communities.
