Officials deny pension to Christian

 retired Christian school teacher from the Iranian province of West Azerbaijan, Fatemeh Pauki (58), is being denied her pension by the district court of Ouroumieh, according to a May 14 report from Farsi Christian News Network. On March 2, Pauki received a letter from the Ministry of Education stating that her pension income would not be paid to her as of April 5.

In recent years, officials of the Ministry of Information have threatened and detained Pauki. She has been forced to promise that she will not have contact with Christians or attend any Christian meetings and that she will cooperate with the security officials in spying for them. Pauki's late husband, Majid Mahmoodi Tabrizi, a convert to Christianity from Islam, was repeatedly threatened by officials in an attempt to intimidate him into renouncing his faith. He was brutally murdered by unknown assailants in July 2005. His family has since received threatening letters warning them against inquiring further into his death.

Pray that Pauki will stand strong in the face of opposition (1 Peter 5:8-10). Pray that she will take comfort in the care of her heavenly Father.

Learn more about the persecution of believers in Iran.

  • 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.

Iran News

  • Armenian Christian Faces Ten-Year Sentence
    Hakop Gochumyan
    Hakop Gochumyan
    Photo: Article18

    Hakop Gochumyan and his wife Elisa are citizens of Armenia who went to Iran for vacation in August 2023. While the Christian couple and their two children were having dinner at a friend's house, agents from the Ministry of Intelligence raided the property. The authorities took the Christian family to the home of Elisa's grandmother, where the believers had been staying, and proceeded to search the residence. During the raid, Christian books and other personal belongings were confiscated. The couple was then taken to Evin Prison where they faced interrogation and intense psychological torture.

  • Esmaeil Narimanpour Sentenced to Prison
    Esmaeil Narimanpour
    Esmaeil Narimanpour
    Photo: Article18

    On Christmas Eve of 2023, Esmaeil Narimanpour was apprehended by security forces. The Iranian follower of Jesus was charged with "acting against national security by communicating with Christian 'Zionist' organizations." As of April 30th, he was released on bail after spending more than four months in detention. For more details relating to his case, see these previously posted reports.