Prayers Requested for Iranian Christians Facing Continued Persecution

Thursday 10th February marks the 26th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. For Iran it is the day to commemorate the victory of deposing the Iranian monarchy and setting up an Islamic republic. Nowadays, the government is controlled by a council of fundamentalist clerics and judges. As a result religious freedom has been seriously suppressed. Under Islamic law, Christian witness to Muslims (proselytising) is banned and renouncing Islam (apostasy) is a capital offence.

In the most recent updated prayer request from the World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (WEA RLC), the alliance calls on the world to pray for the troubled country. It was reported that Hamid Pourmand, an Iranian Protestant lay-pastor with the Assemblies of God, was arrested on 9 September 2004. He converted from Islam to Christinaity 25 years ago. He has been accused of running an "underground church" and "many Muslims" have converted to Christianity through his ministry. Currently, he has been threatened to return to Islam.

The US Congress has declared Iran as one of the eight Countries of Particular Concern (C.P.C) last year for religious minorities, including Bahai, Jews, Sunni Muslims, and Christians in the country continue to face imprisonment, harassment, intimidation and discrimination.

However, due to the rising tension between the US and Iran over nuclear weapons issues, currently the US has no leverage to intervene in Iran’s human rights crisis.

WEA RLC said, "Violence against women, suicide, drug use and prostitution are endemic and AIDS is increasing. Iranians need the healing and salvation of Jesus Christ. Many Iranians long for openness and liberty."

It mobilises Christians all over the world to pray for Iran, "May we Christians the world over go down on our knees in massive numbers on 10th February and beyond to demonstrate our faith in Jesus Christ who has authority over all rulers, authorities and nations (Eph 1:21-22), as well as our total dependence on and confidence in the Holy Spirit to use Iran's small, persecuted church to turn the nation upside down, to the praise and glory of God (Eph 3:20-21)."

"May the Spirit of God reach into the disillusioned hearts of Iranians who are not finding peace and assurance of salvation in Islam or through the Islamic Republic."

Special prayer requests have also been made for Pastor Pourmand, who is now under trial in the Iranian Court, and his family as well as the entire Church in Iran.

Christians should pray that any Iranian media attention given to Pastor Pourmand's conversion and trial be used by God to "produce fruit" in debates regarding religious liberty and for the Kingdom of God. (Isaiah 55:10-11)