“Christianity is considered an existential threat to the Islamic Republic of Iran,” wrote February 7 the Christian religious freedom advocates Arielle Del Turco and Lela Gilbert. This statement indicates the extreme measures Iran’s theocratic Islamic Republic is willing to implement in order to repress alternative belief systems such as Christianity, and the enormous attendant political consequences.
Various media reports have confirmed that, concerning Christianity, the “Iranian government views converts as a Western attempt to undermine Islam and the Islamic Republic.” “Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has cataloged Christianity as an existential threat to the nation,” Vernon Brewer, the Christian humanitarian organization World Help’s founder, has written. “Iran’s ayatollahs,” American Foreign Policy Council Senior Vice President Ilan Berman has observed, “view those who adhere to a different set of religious principles as a mortal threat to their extreme interpretation of the Islamic faith.”
Middle East Concern (MEC), a human rights organization focused on persecuted Middle East Christians, has noted that the 1979 Islamic Republic constitution in its first article “institutes a theocracy.” Article 12 establishes “Islam and the Twelver Ja‘fari school of Shi’a Islam as the nation’s official religion. Accordingly, all Iranian laws must be derived from and be consistent with Islamic law.” Article 13 recognizes only Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians as “religious minorities” who “may exercise their religious ceremonies within the limits of the law.”
MEC noted that the Islamic Republic “interprets these three recognized minorities to refer only to those from ethnic communities such as Assyrian and Armenian Christians” as “part of the historical heritage of the nation.” Therefore media reports have observed that
Armenian and Chaldean churches are allowed to hold services, as long as they are not conducted in Persian, and they are observed by the police. Distributing Christian literature in Farsi is strictly forbidden, in order to prevent evangelization.
MEC has elaborated:
Churches are effectively banned from using the Farsi language in their activities, a restriction enforced through regular checks of the identity documents of attendees to ensure that only members of the minority communities attend, and that Persian Muslims are excluded.
The Islamic Republic’s extreme persecution of Christians has in 2020 made Iran number nine on the annual World Watch List of the 50 top Christian-persecuting countries compiled by the Christian aid organization Open Doors. Yet senior Islamic Republic clerics and Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi have worried in recent years about growing Christian influence in Iran. Thus these Iranian officials have therefore redoubled their efforts with millions of dollars in Islamic propaganda.
Under this oppression, Iranian converts from Islam to Christianity “have to live their faith secretly, pretending they are faithful Muslims when in reality they are Christians,” Brewer has noted. Del Turco and Gilbert have particularly observed that the “Iranian regime conducts mass arrests of Christians during the Christmas season to intimidate believers and prevent the spread of Christianity.” Dabrina Bet Tamraz, the daughter of Iranian parents imprisoned for their Christian evangelism, explained that “Christian celebrations make it easier for Iranian authorities to arrest a group of Christians at one time.”
Iranian-American political scientist Majid Rafizadeh has analyzed the “trumped-up charges” Iranian Christians face. These include “promoting Zionism…spreading corrupt Christians beliefs…propagating against the Islamic Republic in favor of Christianity…orientation toward the land of Christianity…endangering national security.” Del Turco and Gilbert found particularly “noteworthy” the accusation of “affiliation with Christian Zionists.”
Such charges reflect the Islamic Republic’s linkage of Christianity with foreign foes as manifested at the funeral for Qasem Soleimani, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force commander killed by an American drone. There in Tehran on January 4, “thousands of radical Muslims” chanted “‘Death to America’…and in the minds of these extremists, America and Christianity are synonymous,” Brewer noted. “When the Iranian government feels threatened, Iran’s beleaguered Christians, particularly converts from Islam, feel the backlash of increased scrutiny and harassment from the government,” Del Turco and Gilbert have also observed.
Marziyeh Amirizadeh, an Iranian woman who endured horrible imprisonment for her Christian beliefs, noted the Islamic Republic’s corrupt nature during a February 5 event at Washington, DC’s Family Research Council (FRC). During a panel moderated by Del Turco and including Bet Tamraz (and with Gilbert in the audience), Amirizadeh observed that Islamic Republic leaders “have power in Islam and they want to keep people as a Muslim.” This sentiment echoed the 2019 film Sheep Among Wolves Volume II, whose producers noted that in Iran’s ruling religious institutions is “where the high-paying jobs are.”
Amirizadeh offered the hope that in Iran the “majority of the people are tired of this corrupted regime” and “are fighting for freedom and democracy.” FRC Executive Vice President Jerry Boykin, a retired United States Army general and former Delta Force commander, made similar comments during his panel introduction. Iranians “are turning against Islam and turning against their government” amidst a generational change, as 60 percent of Iranians are under the age of 30, he said.
Boykin reflected upon his own personal experience with an Iran that overthrow the shah and instituted an Islamic Republic in 1979. That year Iranians seized the American embassy with 52 Americans. He remembered the six hours he spent in an Iranian desert on April 24, 1980, as a Delta Force commando who witnessed the failure of Operation Eagle Claw, a military attempt to free the hostages.
Boykin recalled that “Iran during the Cold War was a tremendous ally” for America in matters such as intelligence gathering on the Soviet Union. With the fall of a “very pro-Western” shah, Iran dramatically became under the Islamic Republic a fierce enemy of the United States. However in Iran the “tide is turning again” and the “Iranian people could be our allies again.”
The film Sheep Among Wolves Volume II likewise offered geopolitical speculation about an ideologically foundering Islamic Republic, particularly with respect to its fierce Jew-hatred expressed against Israel. By contrast, Iranian converts to Christianity “bowing their knees to the Jewish Messiah” have a “kindled affection toward the Jewish people” and, in one convert’s words, “we fall in love with Jews.” The evangelical movie producers thus spoke of evangelizing in Iran a “resistance church” against threats to Israel while an Iranian Christian argued that the “spirit of Islam, which is Haman, very soon is going to hang by its own neck.”
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s theocracy thus exemplifies the weakness of all totalitarian societies repeatedly exhibited throughout history. Absent ideological indoctrination, whose success depends upon rigid suppression of competing viewpoints, true believers in a regime will dwindle in a society not governed according to openly debated interests. For such a faith-based government, any “heresy” is a matter of state, for losing the battle for hearts and minds (or souls) can only result in the downfall of government that has no objective value.
Walter Sieruk says
The foundation of this whole Islamic “Republic”of Iran is based on the “holy book” of Islam the Koran. Some call this religious book, the Quran.
The way for a person to discover the truth concerning the nature of Jesus is found in the Bible verse Isaiah 8:20. This instructs “To the law of the testimony. If they do not speak according to the word, it is because there is no light in them.” [N.K.J.V.] In other words, if a religious teacher has teaching that are in contradiction to the Word, the Bible, then that teachers is a false teacher who teaches false doctrines. The Muslim clerics, as the imam and mullahs, teach and speak doctrines about God from the Quran .
As the Quran in 112 teaches “He is God alone: God is the eternal begetteth not…” Likewise, this religious book which is the entire foundation of and for Islam further teaches in 19:35. “It is not befitting to God that He should beget a son.” In great contrast the Bible teaches in John 1:14. “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory , the glory of the only begotten of the Father ,full of grace and truth.”
Likewise John 3:16 teaches “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son… Then just a little further in verse 18 it is written about Jesus Who is “the only begotten Son of God. “ Other places in the Bible further teach that Jesus is the Son of God as in Matthew 16:15:16. Luke 1:35. John 3:36. First John 4:14. 15. 5:14,15. Moreover to be even more clear the Bible teaches that Jesus is the Son of God, Who is God the Father. As found in Matthew 3:16,17. First John 2:22,23. 4:14,15. Of course , it ,very much, needs to made even more specific . The Bible teaches that Jesus is also God the Son. As seen in Hebrew1:8 and First John 5:20.
The ayatollahs, mullahs and imams will try to “explain” this all away. As in they will try brush off all those Bible verse off by making the claim that the Bible had been corrupted, through time, by Christians and that’s why the Bible reads as it does. That claim they make actually underestimate the Power of God to protect and keep His Word safe and intact, through time, and away from the corruption of men.
In conclusion ,with the above instruction of the way to find doctrinal truth in Isaiah 8:20 and in the light of the Bible verse provided it may be clearly seen, by all those who are willing to see, that Islam is in terrible doctrinal error and it is therefore a false religion, Proverbs 14:12. John 14:6.
In addition there is a Christian internet site which replies to the many claims made by the imams and mullahs as well as the other apologists for Islam. It’s http://www.answering-islam.org
Keys says
“ Amirizadeh offered the hope that in Iran the “majority of the people are tired of this corrupted regime”
If the majority of the Iranians only knew the full extent of the coruption !
I am quoting mind boggling information from mortimer below:
“mortimer says
Apr 16, 2018 at 9:21 pm
NET WORTH OF SUPREME LEADER KHAMEINI $95 BILLION
Iran’s supreme leader Sayed Ali khamenei’s wealth & Bank Account Info in foreign countries:
Bank Accounts
Aside from the 22 billion dollars cash, 10 billion dollars out of the 36 billion is in the following bank accounts:
1 billion dollars in Russia
1 bilion dollars in Syria
1 bilion dollars in China
1 bilion dollars in Venezuela
2 billion dollars in South Africa
2 billion dollars in London
2 billion dollars in other countries
Aside from 22 billion dollars cash and 10 billion in foreign accounts, his other assets are:
4 billion dollars as described below:
2 billion dollars in stocks in world markets
1 billion dollars in South Africa
500 million dollars in Syria
500 million dollars in Venezuela
Where did these billions come from?
30 billion dollars out of commission on sale of oil
2 billion dollars in land dealings
6 billion dollars in arms dealings
10 billion dollars has been directly paid to Khamenei by Ahmadinejad’s government
Ali Khamenei’s and his family’s total wealth: much more than 100 Billion Dollars
Ali Khamenei’s wealth: 95 Billion Dollars
His family’s wealth: 6 Bilion Dollars
Cash:
22 Billion dollars out of the 95 Billion dollars was in Iran as cash but in the aftermath of Iran’s presidential election unrest it was decided that this money needed to be sent to Syria through Turkey. This money was exposed en route from Turkey to Syria and was confiscated in Turkey. Khamenei’s worry was that in case of the downfall of the regime this money would be trapped in Iran. Iran’s government is trying to get this money back from Turkey. There is no doubt that this money has been confiscated in Turkey but the question remains as to why this money was not directly transported to Syria on a plane? Maybe they were scared that the plane would be identified and downed!
The rest of the cash: 3.5 Billion Dollars of which 1.5 Billion dollars is in the form of diamonds and one billion dollars is in the form of gold. There is also a billion dollars in US cash currency.
Khamenei’s important business affairs:
Sugar and rice imports, car imports (BMWs), production of sugar and sugar cubes under the name of Astaan Ghods Razavi, investments in Dubai, Germany, Iraq, South Africa, Venezuela, Lebanon and China.
But his bigger business dealings are related to oil and gas and purchase of military equipment from China and Russia.
Khamenei, in order to control his business, keeps people in some positions for a long time. For example Majid Hedayat-zadeh has been the person responsible for sale of Iran’s oil for the past 30 years (he was changed last year because Nourizadeh exposed his name).
Mr. Souri is responsible for the transport of Iran’s oil and he has been on the job for 30 years.
Mr. Khamenei had appointed these two people in 1980. At one point Rafsanjani, Khatami and Ahmadinejad each had tried to change them but Khamenei did not approve of the change. This is how these two people worked with Khamenei’s office: Hedaya-zadeh would sell the oil and Souri would transport them and the commission for this transaction would go into Khamenei’s account. In the past 30 years Iran has sold about 700 Billion dollars worth of oil and the commission for the sale and transport for this has gone into Khamenei’s account. The third person who entered the oil ministry for this affair is his brother Hassan Khamenei who was at previously appointed as the minister of Islamic Guidance (vezarat Ershad) and he was in charge of censorship. He later entered the petroleum ministry to control Khamenei’s interests.
Khamenei’s Palaces:
Khamenei’s palaces include:
1. Lavasanat castles that belong to Khamenei, Mojtaba and Mohammadi-Golpaygani
2. Jamshidieh Palace: (formerly belonging to Ardeshir Zahedi) is his place of mountain trotting.
3. Fish-Ghola Palace in the north of Iran
4. Niavaran Palace
5. Latian dam palaces (formerly belonging to the Shah)
Khamenei’s wealth:
Khamenei became the president in 1980. In 1981 Mr. Hedayat and Mr. Souri were appointed to head the sale of Iran’s oil and they remained in that position until 2007. In 1982 Mohsen Rafighdoust was appointed to purchase arms.
In 1989 Khamenei discovered the value of land and through the operations units of “Emam’s Orders” organization and Mostazafan Foundation he eyed Iran’s lands. Starting from 1982, in the oil ministry Hasan Khamenei was appointed to oversee Mr. Hedayat and Souri.
Mr. Mohammadi-Golpaygani in Defense Ministry was appointed to control Rafighdoust and Heidari.
Mr. Lolachian was appointed in land affairs and he later married into Khamenei’s family.
In 1999 he gave permission to his children to enter business.
Since 2005 he quit his business dealings and was paid directly by the government. This is the same money that would be “lost” when the country’s budget was published. This is the same money that during presidential debates Mr. Karroubi asked Ahmadinejad about!”
Kepha says
When I hear of what the Holy Spirit of God is doing in places like Iran and Mainland China, I can only bow in humble gratitude that so many people are being turned away form Hell, and pray that similar things will happen elsewhere. This should also be a challenge to all Christians everywhere to watch, pray, and give thanks.
The things reported in this article are reasons why I believe US foreign policy should be a lot less activist and a lot less interventionist when there is no clear national interest at stake. They are also reason why, while I believe Trump was right in his temporary ban on immigration from a handful of Muslim-majority state, we should still be neighborly to the Muslim immigrant in our midst. Those churches planted in Kabylia were planted by Kabyle people who had become Christians while guest workers in Europe; and the same can be said for some newer Evangelical congregations in Turkey. In the USA, it is now the case that more Christians of Iranian origin/parentage come from Muslim backgrounds than from Armenian-Iranian or Assyrian-Iranian backgrounds. I’ve seen where I teach some West Africans of Muslim heritage turning towards Christ.
While I don’t share General Boykin’s Pentacostalism, I think he had a valid insight and comment. We should pray, wait, and see.
gravenimage says
Sadly, though, Kepha, more Muslims are here in the West to violently impose Islam on us than they are to convert to Christianity.
gravenimage says
Christ Subverts Iran’s Islamic Republic
……………….
Always good to hear!
somehistory says
If one can only come to see that Christ offers so much, “Come under my yoke with me, because my yoke is kindly, and my load is light.” “This means everlasting life; their taking in knowledge of You. the only True God, and of the One Whom You sent forth, Jesus Christ.”
Jesus promises help for our “loads” and the “yoke” we must bear…as it’s His “yoke…kindly” and His “load..light” And then, everlasting…eternal…life.. Wonderful things, full of hope.
What a contrast to the things “offered” by islam and those who use its evil to rule and demand. Torment, despair, torture, threats, death…
Lydia Church says
Exactly. And the government in Iran reflected islam while a free democracy follows from Christianity. Both the tyrannical government in Iran along with the repressive and evil religion of islam drove the people, ironically, to what the Iranian government dubbed as its downfall; Christianity! And in this case it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy! Great!!!
: D
Infidel says
Iranians are a very nationalistic people, and I don’t see them ever embracing a religion that was not born in Iran. Under the Safavids, they embraced the Twelver shi’a islam, and bought into the myth that since the 3rd imam was born to an Iranian princess captured by and married to Hussayn, that they were therefore Iranian. They didn’t embrace Buddhism during the ilkhanate, and so they’re unlikely to embrace any religion not forced on them.
That’s why the best chances of any religion in that country is Zoroastrianism, which although founded in Balkh, was founded by a Persian. I’m not sure if Bahai might work as well, but one problem w/ it is that they include Mohammed as one of the figures they honor, even if they’re technically not considered islam.