One of the leaders of the forcibly closed Central Assemblies of God Church in Tehran has been recently released from prison after spending 43 days in custody. According to Mohabat News, Pastor Robert Asserian, who was arrested by security authorities in the middle of a worship service on May 21st, was released on July 2nd. (To review the report about his arrest, please click here.)
The country's newly elected president, Hassan Rouhani, has promised in his second statement that he will preserve the rights of religious and ethnic minorities and respond to their legitimate demands. According to a Mohabat News representative, his statement leads to some very important questions: "Does (Rouhani) count Muslims who have converted to Christianity as religious minorities and thus include them in his promises? What is his view on the recently closed Farsi-speaking churches, and what will he do to re-open them?" Time will tell, as events unfold, exactly what the new president's policy is concerning these issues of great concern. Thank you for your continued prayers on behalf of fellow 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. VOMC is also working with partners to provide the Theology of Persecution course in Farsi to train Iranian believers to provide a proper theological perspective and understanding of persecution from a Biblical point of view.
Ethnicity Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen and Turkic tribes
Religion (%) Islam (99.4), other, including Christian (0.3), Unspecified (0.3)
Leader President Ebrahim Raisi (2021)
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.
In the Persecution & Prayer Alert that VOMC published on September 30th, it was reported that three Christians had been arrested while attending a prayer meeting in Rasht, Iran, on September 5th. The report had mentioned that two of the believers were r
Morteza, Ahmad and Ayoub Photo: Middle East Concern
Three Christian converts were arrested while attending a prayer meeting in the Iranian coastal city of Rasht on September 5th. Intelligence agents raided the meeting and took Morteza Mashhoudkari, Ayoub Poor-Rezazade and Ahmad Sarparast for interro
Pray for creative solutions as Iranian believers spread the Gospel. Photo: VOM USA
Finding encouragement in the Christian faith can be especially difficult in a country like Iran, where tight government controls prevent followers of Christ from meeting together. In recent years, modern technology cr
President Ebrahim Raisi Photo: Mehr News Agency (cc)
The recent election of Ebrahim Raisi as president of Iran has led to concerns for those monitoring religious freedom in the country. The election has been discredited by many since reformers or moderates were banned from running for the position
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