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As Iran continues its repressive actions against the country's Christians, the church as a whole has nevertheless experienced remarkable growth, with numerous people coming to faith in Christ. Because opportunities for Farsi-speaking believers to gather for worship have been severely restricted over the years, many Christians relied on satellite television broadcasts for Biblical teaching and encouragement. However, a new directive from the country's Ministry of Intelligence has now made accessing these resources much more dangerous.

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.

A historic Christian compound in Tehran, which was established in 1876 and home to Iran's oldest Protestant church, is facing possible confiscation by the country's government. The recent threat marks the culmination of a long-standing legal battle that started over 25 years ago.

In December 2025, it was announced that five Iranian Christians had received lengthy prison sentences. Although the charges against them officially involved "collusion" and "propaganda," they were imprisoned merely for engaging in typical Christian activities, such as gathering for worship, prayer, and the observance of communion and baptismal ceremonies. (Further details on the believers' convictions are available at this report. For security reasons, one of the accused believers' names was withheld from that initial report.)

Mary Mohammadi was initially arrested at the age of 19 after converting from Islam to Christianity at a house church meeting. The young Christian woman was subsequently imprisoned for six months in Tehran's Evin Prison. Following her release, she was convicted again in 2020; this second time, receiving a suspended sentence – along with 10 lashes – on charges of "disturbing public order." Despite the ongoing persecution from Iranian authorities, Mary has remained steadfast in her faith. In 2023, she was honoured with the St. Stephen's Award for Persecuted Christians in recognition of her courage and selflessness.

In January 2025, Ghazal Marzban was arrested and sentenced to six months' imprisonment and 74 lashes on charges of "propaganda against the regime" and for appearing in public without a hijab. Thankfully, the Christian woman was released after serving two months of her previously ordered sentence.

In April 2024, Amir-Ali Minaei was arrested by Iranian authorities and sentenced to 43 months in prison for alleged "propaganda activities against the regime through establishing a house church." The Christian man's sentence was later reduced to 30 months. During his imprisonment, however, he endured physical abuse and suffered from serious heart-related health issues. (View our previously published report.)

As political conflict continues in Iran, serious concerns have been raised about the safety of the country's prisoners of conscience, including at least 48 Christian captives. In June 2025, Evin Prison was struck by an Israeli missile, resulting in major damages to the facility which houses many religious and political prisoners. Those in custody were transferred to other locations of the country where they were imprisoned amid unsanitary and overcrowded conditions until the repairs were completed. Human rights advocates warn that the renewed instability raises the risk of similar incidents occurring.

On February 28th, the United States and Israel launched a major military operation against Iran. The strike resulted in hundreds of casualties, including the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with dozens of other government officials.

In January 2025, 41-year-old Ghazal Marzban was detained in Tehran's Evin Prison after being sentenced to six months' imprisonment and 74 lashes. The charges against her included "propaganda against the regime" and "appearing in public without a hijab." Ghazal, a Christian convert from Islam, had initially been arrested in November 2024 while participating in protests against government oppression. She was released from prison in 2025 after serving two months of her initially sentenced term.