Update: Pastor Vahik and Sonia Abrahamian flee Iran

FCNN 20 October 2011

Vahik and Sonia arriving in the Netherlands.
Photo: FCNN

Iranian pastor Vahik Abrahamian and his wife, Sonia, left the country for the Netherlands on September 15 with the help of the Netherlands Embassy and with approval from the Iranian government. Vahik and Sonia continually expressed their desire to remain in Iran for the sake of their ministry; however, fears for their safety caused them to flee the country.

The Abrahamians were arrested along with another couple in September 2010. Sonia and the other Christians were released from prison in April 2011. Sonia was told her husband would be released 10 days later, but Pastor Vahik was not released until August 29 (for more information, click here).

Thank the Lord for guiding and protecting Vahik and Sonia. Pray that they would sense His presence and direction in the coming months. Pray for the many other Iranian Christians who are imprisoned for their faith, including Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani.

For more on our suffering brothers and sisters in Iran, go to the Iran Country Report.

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.