Christians Respond to Protests in Iran

The protest against Iran’s collapsing economy quickly escalated, turning into a nationwide revolt against the country’s authoritarian rule.

Since Dec. 28, tens of thousands of citizens have taken to the streets to join the demonstrations. In response, the Ayatollah regime has met them with violence; some reports estimate that the crackdown has resulted in a death toll as high as 20,000.

Lily Meschi, director of Iran Alive Ministries, noted that protests occur every few years in Iran. However, she said, these recent demonstrations have been far more violent than those in the past.

“It is very concerning because of how many people are getting killed in the streets of Iran, across Iran, in every city, and province,” Meschi said. “It’s just very sad.”

In Tehran, Iran’s capital city, officials threatened harsh punishments for the rioters they arrested. For Christians who already face persecution from their communities and cruel treatment in prison, this can mean more severe punishment for them and other religious minorities if they partake in the demonstrations.

With Iran ranked on the World Watch List as the 10th most dangerous country for Christians, these protests present both risks and new opportunities for believers to share their faith and hope for change.

Mansour Khajehpour, an Iranian Christian who escaped to the United States due to persecution, is still in contact with Christians in the country.

“They and other overseas Iranian ministry leaders noted that Christians in Iran — who number close to 1 million, according to some estimates — are voicing their support for the recent wave of protests,” Khajehpour said. “Compared to previous protest movements, this one is more widespread, with support from a broader cross-section of the population. For many, it has brought hope for change.”

Though Christians have stayed away from politics in the country, they are participating in demonstrations, feeding participants, and aiding injured protesters to share the gospel.

David Yeghnazar, the executive director of Elam Ministries, is encouraged to hear the ways God is moving through the demonstrations to reach people with the hope of the gospel.

“It is right to pray that every Iranian would live in a free and just country,” Yeghnazar said. “But there’s a real deep understanding among many believers that whatever change might come, the deepest longings of every Iranian can only be met in Christ.”

作者：Bella Agnello

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