|TOP|As a relatively peaceful decade continues to take a sharp turn for the worse for believers in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iranian Christians are frightened, reports an international ministry to the persecuted church.

"The last 10 years were relatively calm," said Open Doors staff worker Stefan Van Velde. "Between 1990 and 2004, Christian life wasn't easy, but we counted fewer arrests and fewer incidents of torture than in the period before 1990.

"But in the last phase of Mohammad Khatami’s presidency, the situation deteriorated for the Christian population," he added.

The staff worker counted nearly 90 church leaders who were arrested in September 2004, with persecution worsening since Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected in June 2005.

|AD|"I heard that all mayors have been given the order to crack down on all Christian cell groups," he said.

Human Rights Watch reported that respect for basic human rights in Iran deteriorated considerably in 2005, citing government uses of torture and ill-treatment for those in detention and serious human rights violations. The New York-based human rights group also noted the subjection of Iran's religious minorities to discrimination and, in some cases, persecution.

Open Doors in addition reported that more Christians have been temporarily arrested and beaten since the summer of 2005.

"I fear more Christians will be murdered for their faith," said Van Velde. "The civilians have not become radical, but the leaders are now extremists and they decide about life and death."

Despite fears, Christians have the freedom to express their faith within their churches. There is greater fear, however, for the Muslim Background Believers (MBBs) who the government wants to return to Islam, according to Open Doors.

"If you convert from the Muslim faith, you can be killed as Mr. Tourani was last fall," said Open Doors USA President Dr. Carl Moeller, referring to the Iranian convert who was murdered in November by an unnamed group of fanatical Muslims that were reportedly “angry about his conversion.”

Forbidden from supporting the MBBs, ethnic churches have let their hands go of helping the new believers. Therefore, the MBBs secretly meet in small cell groups, making it harder for groups like Open Doors serving persecuted Christians to reach them.

"It’s increasingly difficult to perform our work. This is a problem, because most MBBs are new converts to Christianity. They have very little knowledge of the Bible. There is a big risk that false doctrines will arise," said Van Velde.

The MBBs show no fear, however, and continue to practice their new belief and spread the gospel.

"Please join me in prayer for our brothers and sisters in Iran as the persecution increases," said Moeller.





Audrey Barrick
Christian Today Correspondent