Iran: Christians fear attack at Christmas
27 Dec 2011‘Evangelical Christians in Iran fear a massive crackdown by security forces around Christmas and Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani may be executed earlier than authorities suggest’, said Firouz Khandjani a council member of the pastor's Iranian Church. Iran's judiciary uses the Christmas time to detain and harass Christians thinking the world may forget the believers as everyone is busy with Christmas shopping. He warned that official suggestions that Pastor Nadarkhani's execution for abandoning Islam would be postponed may be a trap to confuse the international community. Last week observers close to the case said judges were ordered to ‘do nothing’ for one year - however Firouz Khandjani stressed ‘It has become clear that Iran's government may want to execute him earlier and saying he will be held one year more does not necessarily mean an earlier execution isn't possible.’
Pray: for Pastor Youcef to be continually aware of God's presence and protection and for Iranian Christians to know the fullness of Christ’s peace and joy at this time. (Ps.146:7-9)
What can be concluded from increased cyber-attacks on Mohabat News website is its effectiveness in spreading news and influence across the Iranian community. However, it seems that along with development of technology, Christian persecution, especially the persecution of Iranian Christians by the Islamic regime of Iran and Islamists, has adopted a new shape and form, reports Iranian Christian news agency, Mohabat News. Mohabat News is a key voice of the Farsi-speaking Christian community, launched on December 9, 2010 with the primary objective of disseminating news on Christians all around the world in both Farsi and English. The website, however, was blocked by the Islamic regime's security officials two months after it was launched. Since then many attempts have been undertaken to silence Mhabat News, three of these attempts by the cyber services staff of the Islamic Republic.
Pray: that the voice for Farsi-speaking Christians will not be silenced but be set free. (1Cor.2:13)
More: http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue17616.html
Iran: Christian updates
27 Feb 2012On February 10th Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence ordered the Emmanuel Protestant Church and St Peter’s Evangelical Church (the last two officially registered churches holding Friday Farsi-language services in Tehran) to discontinue worship. Friday services in Tehran attracted the city’s converts to Christianity as well as Muslims interested in Christianity as Friday is most Iranians’ day off during the week. Authorities told the churches they can hold the services on Sunday, a working day when most Iranians are not able to attend. For full story see: http://www.christianpost.com/news/churches-forced-to-stop-farsi-worship-in-tehran-iran-69827/ Meanwhile the health of a jailed pastor of one of Iran's largest evangelical house church movements is deteriorating and there were fears Monday he may die. Behnam Irani was jailed for what critics view as ‘trumped up’ charges of ‘crimes against the Islamic state’ and is experiencing intestinal disorder. His family is very concerned because his brother died from intestinal cancer.
Pray: that God will supernaturally intervene to thwart strategies against Christian worship and outreach. (Ps.35:22-24)
More: http://www.worthynews.com/11273-jailed-iranian-pastors-health-deteriorating
Iran: Blasphemy trial update
12 Apr 2011
The blasphemy trial of five members from the Church of Iran has been adjourned due to a lack of evidence. (Thank you Lord) According to a news release from Christian Solidarity Worldwide the trial of Pastor Behrouz Sadegh-Khandjani, Mehdi Furutan, Mohammad Beliad, Parviz Khalaj and Nazly Beliad has been adjourned until April 12th in order to give the prosecution more time to gather evidence. Lawyers representing the five have consistently maintained that there are no legal grounds for the blasphemy charges, and remain optimistic that the case will eventually be dismissed. In an earlier trial at the Revolutionary Court in Shiraz, the five were handed a one-year sentence for Crimes against the Islamic Order, which their legal team believes will also be withdrawn on appeal. See also Prayer Alert 11-2011 Pray: fervently at this time for complete absolution for the five Christian men. (Ac.5:25)
Iran: Baluchestan Province earthquake
29 Apr 2013The second earthquake to hit Iran in less than a week toppled homes and shops on both sides of the Iran-Pakistan border on Tuesday. Iranian TV criticized international media for ‘exaggerating’ the death toll, raising questions about the full extent of the damage in the rugged region that's a front line in Iran's battle against drug traffickers and the Sunni-based militant group, Jundallah. The earthquake damaged area is home to the Baluch people- a remote tribal society. Iran's state-run Press TV initially said at least 40 people were killed on the Iranian side but later removed the figure from its website and news scroll. The website of Tehran Geophysics Center said the quake was the strongest in more than 50 years in one of the world's most seismically active areas. Pakistan reported 34+ killed on their side of the border and 80 were injured. Up to 1,000 mud homes were damaged, Pakistan Television added.
Pray: for all who were affected by the earthquakes especially those living in desolate hills and valleys. Pray also for those attempting rescue operations in a complicated emergency situation. (Ps.60:1-2)
More: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/04/16/earthquake-iran-pakistan/2087047/
Iran: Ayatollahs make anti-Christian comments
31 Jan 2013Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, influential figures of the Islamic regime, especially Ayatollahs affiliated with the regime, have frequently tried to provoke government and security authorities to take action against Christians by making negative comments. According to a story by the Iranian Christian news agency Mohabat News, some Ayatollahs have made anti-Christian remarks because one of the greatest concerns of the Islamic clerics in Iran is the growth of Christianity in the county. Mohabat News said by so doing the Ayatollahs hope to decrease the growth of both Christianity and house churches in Iran. According to Mohabat News, in a statement, Ayatollah Noor-Allah Tabarsi, the Friday Prayer Imam in Sari, defamed Christianity and called today’s Christians ‘a shame for Christianity.’ Mohabat News said that Tabarsi, who is also the Supreme Leader's representative in Mazandaran province, claimed that all the corruption in the West was due to the inappropriate application of Christianity.
Pray: for Christians in Iran that they would be protected against the extremes of the Islamic regime.
More: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2013/s13010128.htm
Iran: Authorities shut church in Tehran
18 Jun 2012Authorities in Iran last week ordered the closure of a church in the capital, Tehran, amid a government campaign to crack down on the few recognized churches offering Farsi-speaking services, according to a human rights group. The order came from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard’s Intelligence Branch, also known as Sepah. ‘Unfortunately, it is now official – the church in Janat-Abad district was ordered to shut down,’ said Monsour Borji, an Iranian Christian and advocacy officer for Rights Initiative Article 18. More than 70 Christians gather every Sunday for the Farsi-speaking service in Janat-Abad. Undoubtedly the order to close the church in the suburb of Tehran was handed down verbally, Borji said. ‘Due to an increasing number of Farsi-speaking believers – mostly MBBs (Muslim Background Believers) – it has become a cause of concern for the authorities and they now ordered it to shut down,’ he said.
Pray: that the authorities would hold back on these closures and that God would protect the believers. (1Th.3:7)
More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/iran/article_1595449.html
Iran is spending large amounts of money to counteract and confuse the Christianity that is spreading among Iranian youth. Haghighat-e-sabz-e-Gilan was formed to ‘identify religious teachings about both Islam and Christianity’ and to be ‘responsive to religious questions.’ The office of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Gilan province’s concern for the youth prompted a series of conferences ‘The Journey from Christianity to Islam’ with speeches by converts from Christianity to Islam. They are also establishing an Islamic internet radio station called ‘Voice of Christ’ with the intention of deceptively using Christ’s name to fight against Christianity. The station will answer questions about Christianity and targets Farsi speaking countries of Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. The programmes will be broadcast in the Gilaki dialect (dialect of the people of Gilan) and the Taleshi dialect (the local language of the people in northwest Iran).
Pray: that not one Gilaki, Taleshi or Farsi speaking searcher will be deceived and for seekers to hear the truth through Christian broadcasts. (Ps.119:17-19)