By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife

There is mounting concern about reported massive arrests of Christians in Iran.

TEHRAN, IRAN (BosNewsLife)– Massive arrests of evangelical Protestant Christians, including many former Muslims, are reported in Iran, with men and women being dragged to prisons across the Islamic nation.

“We have learned that at least 100, but perhaps as many as 400 people, have been detained over the last 10 days,” said Firouz Khandjani, a council member of the ‘Church of Iran’ house church movement.

Speaking from an undisclosed location, he told BosNewsLife late Saturday, October 13, that forces of the feared intelligence service, who he called “Iran’s Gestapo”, broke up worship services in Esfehan, Shiraz and Tehran areas.

“They are of several movements. But it has become clear that Protestant Christians are now viewed as enemy number one of the state,” Khandjani said. “We need urgent prayers,” he added when asked what believers need most.

CHURCH MEMBERS DETAINED

He said among those detained late Friday, October 12, are at least seven members of the Church of Iran in the city of Shiraz, including Mohammad Roghangir, known locally as ‘Brother Vahid’, who led a house church service attended by some 15 people.

“We are also concerned about sister Roxana Forughi as this is the second time she is being detained.”

Other Christians captured during the same raid were identified as Suroush Saraie, Eskandar Rezaie, Bijan Haghighi, Mehdi Ameruni and Shahin Lahooti.

Iranian Christians said they were taken to the notorious detention center Plaque 100 of Iran’s Intelligence Ministry.

SUSPENDED SENTENCES

Khandjani confirmed reports that on Thursday, October 11, seven Christians received suspended five year sentences for “action against the national security,” after they were already jailed for up to three weeks in Rasht, some six years ago.

He said he was also concerned about the situation of Christians taken to prisons in recent days. “We know that many have been forced to say they will no longer attend church services in exchange for freedom.”

There was no immediate response from Iranian officials.

The latest reported crackdown comes on the eve of the October 15 trial of five Christian converts detained in Adel-Abad prison eight months ago following a raid on a house church in Shiraz.

FIVE CONFINED

Since their arrests, the five been confined in cells housing dangerous criminals on charges of “creating illegal groups”, “participating in a house church service”, “propagation against the Islamic regime” and “defaming Islamic holy figures through Christian evangelizing,” Iranian Christians said.

There is also concern about the health of several church leaders detained earlier, including
Iranian Pastor Behnam Irani, who potentially faces the death penalty for “apostasy”, or abandoning Islam.

Christians have said he suffers of “various medical problems” in part because of prison mistreatment.

Despite the reported persecution, there may be at least 100,000 evangelical Christians in Iran, according to church groups, with others giving higher estimates.

9 COMMENTS

  1. “Christian evangelicals” are not Christians. They are Zionists through and through. As a voting block of some 70 million Americans that support bloody wars on behalf of Israel, they constitute a national security threat–not just here in the United States–but to every other nation that allows them to exercise their venemous, anti-Christ, apostate, endtime fantasies. Get real.

  2. Dear Keith Johnson,

    We are somewhat surprised to read you saying that “Christian evangelicals are not Christians.”

    The evangelicals we know, including in Iran, fully agree with Bible verse John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Sounds pretty Christian to us.

    Iranian Christians are not part of the voting block you mentioned; in fact the government tries to silence their voice.

    Stefan J. Bos, BosNewsLife

  3. Keith’s real problem is that God is a Zionist:

    Gen. 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

    2Thes.2:3 is in full force nowadays.

  4. Brother Bos:

    I’m a journalist/blogger and report news stories about Christians who suffer throughout the world. I’m delighted to have found your service.

    Could you enlighten me as to what news service source you get your stories from and also do you have field reporters submitting news stories they have covered themselves.

    In His Peace,

    Joe Ortiz

  5. Dear brother Joe Ortiz,

    Thank you so much for writing. We have several sources, including with the impacted Christians, churches, several organizations and also correspondents in several nations among others. We also monitor a wide range of media reports, though we try as much as possible to get that news confirmed independently and at least from two sources, besides our own direct reporting.

    God bless you,

    Stefan J. Bos, BosNewsLife.

  6. I hope most thinking and feeling people realize we are dealing with an Iranian Gov’t by and for the “devil.” Anything said or not said is of no consequence to these marauders of the truth. Devil worshippers are fixated on causing a hell on earth for anyone with a varying view of life on earth. They wish death and worship it in so many ways. Women are nothing but slaves to these peoples.

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