Police Raid Church Conference Detaining 80

11 September 2004

^{Karaj, Iran (20 miles west of Tehran)}

Just as the general conference of Assemblies of God in Iran had gathered for the first day of meetings in Karaj on September 9, police burst in, arresting everyone in attendance. According to a report from Compass Direct, each was blindfolded and led away for interrogation by security forces. The police apparently had specific personal information on each person attending.

After questioning the Christians, the police released all but the pastors in attendance. The location of these ten men is unknown and there has been no contact with their families. Those who had been released were forbidden to attend church services.

This is an extremely serious situation for the church in Iran; a country where churches have been strictly controlled and where conversion to Christianity means death. Pray for safety for these pastors and their families. Pray for strength for the Christians whose spiritual leadership has suddenly been taken from them.

For more information on Iran and the persecution facing Christians there, click here.

Current Ministry Fund
By funding television broadcasts, VOMC is making it possible for a vast audience of viewers to be reached throughout Iran with the "Good News" of Jesus' love via satellite.

Project Fund: Underground Church
Country Information
Designation
Persecuted

Population
87,590,873 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity
Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen and Turkic tribes

Religion (%)
Islam (98.5), Christian (0.7), Baha'i (0.3), agnostic (0.3), other (0.2)

Leader
Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-Khamenei (1989)

Government type
Theocratic republic

Legal system
Religious legal system based on secular and Islamic law

Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Iran
As the Gospel message goes forth over the airwaves, may the growth of the church continue to multiply despite persecution. Pray that the Iranian government will be open to change, allowing full rights and protection for its non-Muslim citizens as well. In the meantime, may those who are forced to flee the country find safe refuge and help so they can live in peace and worship the Lord with freedom.