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Pastor David Tang is the leader of the Purpose Driven Church (also known as Biaogan Church) in the city of Wenzhou. This vibrant church, which has been known to interest local young professionals and intellectuals, was forced to officially close down after refusing to join the state-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement. Since then, its congregants have continued to meet in a semi-underground manner.

In recent weeks, guards have been stationed outside St. Peter Evangelical Church, the oldest Protestant church in Iran, as governing authorities carry out a planned seizure of the building and surrounding property. First built in 1876, the church occupied a 10-acre plot of land in Tehran. Although an order was issued several years ago, authorities officially seized control of the site last month.