Christians in Iran are facing a renewed wave of persecution, with at least 43 believers arrested in recent weeks across 21 cities. The arrests began shortly after a ceasefire with Israel came into effect on 25 June and appear to be part of a wider campaign to silence minority voices.
Those detained were taken from cities including Tehran, Rasht, Orumiyeh, Kermanshah and Varamin. In many cases, the official charges remain unclear. However, some arrests are reportedly linked to the possession of Bibles, while others relate to a controversial new bill proposing harsh penalties for alleged cooperation with so-called ‘hostile states’ such as the United States or Israel.
Iran has long used such laws to target Christian converts, who are often labelled as ‘Zionists’ or accused of belonging to ‘deviant sects’. Rather than being recognised as followers of Christ, they are treated as political or ideological threats.
In past legal rulings, Iranian judges have claimed that evangelical Christianity threatens Islamic values, weakens family structures and promotes Western ideologies. These arguments continue to fuel harsh treatment of believers in the country, which ranks ninth on the Open Doors World Watch List for Christian persecution.
Concerns are also growing internationally. United Nations human rights experts have warned against using post-conflict periods as a cover to suppress dissent. They highlighted reports that Iranian state media has referred to Christians and other minority groups as ‘traitors’ and even used language such as ‘filthy rats’ to dehumanise entire communities.
The situation inside Iran’s prison system is also worsening. After a recent airstrike on Tehran’s Evin Prison, conditions have sharply declined. At least eleven Christians held in the facility have been transferred to other prisons, some of them now unaccounted for, raising fears of enforced disappearances.
Among those suffering is Aida Najaflou, a 43-year-old Christian convert facing several serious charges. These include ‘propaganda against the Islamic Republic’ and ‘collusion,’ charges reportedly linked to prayer gatherings, baptisms and sharing Christian content online. Even possession of a Bible has been listed as evidence against her. Some of the accusations also stem from her support of the ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ movement and her posts on social media criticising government figures.
In a voice message recently shared by friends, Aida described the harsh conditions faced by over 60 women transferred to Qarchak Prison. “We are suffering… entangled and helpless,” she said. Prisoners there are reportedly deprived of clean water, sufficient food and basic hygiene.
Despite mounting international pressure, Iranian authorities continue to use fear and repression to suppress religious freedom and intimidate believers. This latest wave of arrests is a stark reminder of the high price many Christians in Iran pay for their faith.
Adapted from Open Doors.
