Tehran: Concerns over the future of Christians in Iran have been strengthened as relations between Iran and the United States have worsened. Discussions about the plight of Iranian Christians, despite official recognition, are on the rise. The global Christian community is concerned that Iran’s hatred of the United States will become a nuisance to Christians in Iran.
The report also points out the noteworthy fact that Christians who are arrested are treated as enemies of the country. According to the annual report, people may be jailed if they celebrate Christmas, worship at home, or go abroad to attend Christian seminars. Along with the example of Pastor Youssef Nadarkhani, the report states that those who convert from Islam to Christianity are also severely persecuted. When sixteen Christians were arrested in 2017, the Iranian government unjustly arrested at least 171 Christians in 2018.
Attorneys who defend Christian cases face the threat of deportation, the report said. Most of the people of Iran belong to Shiite Islam. The religious minority constitutes less than 1% of the total population. There are an estimated 300,000 Christians in Iran, including Latin, Armenian, Assyrian, Chaldean, Protestant and Evangelical church members. Various reports have revealed that in addition to Christians, the Baha’i, Jewish, and Zoroastrian religious minorities, as well as Muslim minorities such as Sunni and Sufi, have been severely persecuted.
