Iranian Christians arrested during home fellowship meeting

Ten members of an Iranian home fellowship who had gathered together to worship and study the Word of God were arrested by security officers who entered the house, seizing every member of the church.

According to reports from Mohabat news, an Iranian Christian news agency, security officers of the city of Varamin - Pakdasht, entered the meeting as it was being held in a home on November 17, arresting all the worshippers there.

As stated in the report, security officers entered the residence of Mohammad Mohammadi and arrested every local Christian worshipping and studying the Bible as a group.

Based on this report, those arrested included Mr Mohammadi, his wife and children, and some Christian friends who were also present.

Mohabat News says that after entering the home, the security officers started searching every room. They confiscated and took away a few Bibles, Christian literature, and a personal computer belonging to Mr Mohammadi.

The security officers first took all the arrested who were Persian-speaking Christians to the intelligence office in Pakdasht, where they were "interrogated severely" for several hours. Next, they were transferred to the local justice ministry, where they spent the next few days with no decision being made on their status.

The news service says that two of these believers were named as Mohammad Mohammadi, aged 32, and Ali Keshavarz aged 27, who were arrested and sent to Khorin prison.

Mr Mohammadi's wife, together with her 7-year-old son, after the guarantee of her mother, was immediately set free. The other six were released after several days incarceration.

The news service went on to say the fate of Mohammad Mohammadi and Ali Keshavarz, with no identified accusation being made against them, is still unknown and they are believed to still be held at Khorin. They are also prohibited to leave the country and are not allowed to contact their family by telephone.

Families of the arrested have been warned of dire consequences should news of their arrest leak out, and they are being actively discouraged from contacting international news agencies.