Tag: Tehran

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard confiscates Christian literature as ‘publicity stunt’

September 26, 2017 Iran Bibles, House churches, Iran, Pardis, Shia, Tehran

Photographs released by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard showing large quantities of confiscated Christian materials were a “publicity stunt” that reflected the Iranian regime’s fear of Christianity, says religious freedom advocate Mansour Borji. Borji, from advocacy group Article 18, told World Watch Monitor that the photographs, which were initially released in July, . . . Read More

Iran: wife of jailed pastor next in court, then their son

August 18, 2017 Iran Iran, Maryam Naghash Zargaran, Ramil Bet-Tamraz, Shamiram Isavi Khabizeh, Tehran, Turkey, Victor Bet-Tamraz

The wife of an Iranian pastor sentenced to 10 years in jail is due to appear before an Islamic Revolutionary Court on 21 August, where she will face charges of “participating in foreign Christian seminars” and “acting against Iranian national security”. Shamiram Isavi Khabizeh, the wife of Victor Bet-Tamraz, was . . . Read More

Iranian Christian Maryam Naghash Zargaran released after four years in prison

August 2, 2017 Iran Amin Afshar Naderi, Converts, Evin Prison, Iran, Islamic extremism, Maryam Naghash Zargaran, Saeed Abedini, Tehran

After four years’ imprisonment for “violating national security”, Iranian Christian Maryam Naghash Zargaran was released from Tehran’s Evin prison last night (1 August). She was due to be released four days earlier, on 28 July, but, as Mohabat News reported, this was delayed without explanation. Naghash Zargaran, 39, a convert . . . Read More

Jailed Christian on hunger strike to protest against treatment of Iranian converts

July 21, 2017 Iran Amin Afshar Naderi, Bahram Nasibov, Converts, Ebrahim Firouzi, Eldar Gurbanov, Exile, Hadi Asgari, Iran, Karaj, Kaviyan Fallah-Mohammadi, Mohammad Reza Omidi, Naser Navard Gol-Tapeh, Rasht, Saheb Fadaie, Tehran, Victor Bet-Tamraz, Yasser Mossayebzadeh, Youcef Nadarkhani, Yusif Farhadov

Another imprisoned Iranian Christian has begun a hunger strike to protest against the recent rash of sentences against Christians in Iran. Ebrahim Firouzi, 30, who has five years left of his own sentence for “acting against national security”, followed fellow convert to Christianity Amin Afshar-Naderi in writing a statement criticising . . . Read More

Jailed Iranian Christian asks authorities: ‘Why do you hate me?’

July 11, 2017 Iran Amin Afshar Naderi, Blasphemy, Converts, Evin Prison, Hadi Asgari, Iran, Kaviyan Fallah-Mohammadi, Tehran, Victor Bet-Tamraz

An Iranian convert to Christianity, sentenced last week to 15 years in jail, has written an open letter to the authorities, asking what he has done to “make you hate me this much” and declaring that he has decided to “terminate my life slowly” through a hunger strike. Amin Afshar-Naderi . . . Read More

Iran sentences four more Christians to 10 years in jail for ‘missionary activities’

July 6, 2017 Iran Amin Afshar Naderi, Azerbaijan, Bahram Nasibov, Converts, Eldar Gurbanov, Hadi Asgari, Naser Navard Gol-Tapeh, Tehran, Victor Bet-Tamraz, Yusif Farhadov

One Iranian and three Azerbaijani Christians have been found guilty of “missionary activities” and “actions against national security” in Iran and sentenced to 10 years in prison. World Watch Monitor understands that the three Azerbaijanis – Eldar Gurbanov, Yusif Farhadov and Bahram Nasibov – are unlikely to serve their sentences . . . Read More

Why Iranian Christians are pinning hopes on ‘moderate’ Rouhani, despite human rights failures

May 19, 2017 Iran Amin Afshar Naderi, Armenians, Assyrians, Ayatollah Khamenei, Hassan Rouhani, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Tehran, Victor Bet-Tamraz

As Iranians head to the polls today (19 May) to vote for their next President, World Watch Monitor takes a look at President Hassan Rouhani’s first term in office and the potential impact of the election result for the country’s Christian minority. Hassan Rouhani was voted in four years ago, . . . Read More

Iranians end hunger strike

February 17, 2017 Iran Amin Afshar Naderi, Amir Saman Dashti, Armenians, Assyrians, Ebrahim Firouzi, Hadi Asgari, Mohammad Dehnavi, Mohammad Reza Omidi, Ramil Bet-Tamraz, Saheb Fadaie, Tehran, Yasser Mossayebzadeh, Youcef Nadarkhani

Amin Afshar Naderi, left, and Hadi Asgari began their hunger strike on 5 February.Article 18 UPDATE (17 Feb) Two imprisoned Iranian Christians have ended their hunger strike after being promised medical care and progress in their case. Amin Afshar Naderi and Hadi Asgari, both of whom had reportedly suffered . . . Read More

Another court hearing, but no end in sight for Iranian Christian converts

December 14, 2016 Iran Amir Saman Dashti, Apostasy, Converts, Islamic extremism, Maryam Naghash Zargaran, Mohammad Dehnavi, Mohammad Reza Omidi, Saheb Fadaie, Tehran, Victor Bet-Tamraz, Yasser Mossayebzadeh, Youcef Nadarkhani

Youcef Nadarkhani is greeted by his wife, Tina, after his release from prison in September 2012.The Nadarkhani family A second court hearing took place today (14 Dec.) for four Iranian converts to Christianity charged with “acting against national security”. Youcef Nadarkhani, Yasser Mossayebzadeh, Saheb Fadaie and Mohammad Reza Omidi . . . Read More

Iran: church retreat centre confiscated for ‘being funded by CIA’

December 12, 2016 Iran Assemblies of God, Ayatollah Khamenei, Karaj, Tehran

The Iranian government has assumed control of a church-owned retreat centre, accusing the church of being funded by the US government and the CIA. The government said the retreat centre in Karaj, a city just west of Tehran, belonged to an organisation “funded by the US through the CIA spy . . . Read More

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