Iranian Christians Targeted Amid Deadly Nationwide Crackdown
Barnabas Aid reports that Iranian Christian communities are issuing urgent pleas for international prayer as the death toll rises following a brutal government response to nationwide protests. Reports indicate that believers are among both the confirmed dead and the hundreds currently missing.
Article18, a non-profit organisation based in London, released that at least seven Iranian-Armenian Christians are among the thousands murdered by the Islamic Republic’s security forces over the past few days,Only two of the Christians, Ejmin Masihi, and Mohsen Rashidi, have so far been named by Armenian news sites, but Article18’s sources have confirmed that at least six others have been killed, while at least three more are reported to have been injured.
Heavy Casualties and Disappearances
The unrest, which erupted on December 28, 2025, spread across all 31 provinces, driven by soaring inflation and economic hardship. While official figures are difficult to verify, some estimates suggest at least 2,000 people have been killed in the crackdown.
Specific reports from Christian advocacy groups highlight the targeted impact on religious minorities:
Fasa (Fars Province): At least 11 believers are confirmed dead following violence in the southwest.
Mashhad: In Iran’s second-largest city, 55 church members remain missing. It is currently unclear if they are in state custody or among the unidentified deceased.
Recent Arrests: This escalation follows the detention of 10 Christians in the Fars region during the first week of January.
The "Foreign Enemy" Narrative
The Iranian government has consistently blamed "foreign enemies" for the domestic unrest. Farsi-speaking Christians—most of whom are converts from Islam—are often used as convenient scapegoats. Because the state views conversion as a threat, these believers are frequently charged with "crimes against national security."
"The authorities labeled the peaceful protesters as 'enemies of God' and 'foreign mercenaries' to justify the massacre," one local believer reported. "By associating house churches with economic riots, they seek to frame the revolt as a conspiracy of foreign interference."
Despite the extreme risks, members of Iran’s underground "house churches" are reportedly providing clandestine medical aid to the wounded, who fear that seeking help at public hospitals will lead to immediate arrest.
A Nation in Digital Isolation
Efforts to document the full scale of the violence are being hampered by a sophisticated state-led telecommunications blackout.
Communication Challenges:
Internet Restrictions: Access is currently restricted to state-approved institutions, effectively cutting the Iranian public off from the global community.
Emergency Channels: Advocacy groups like Barnabas Aid have had to rely on illegal shortwave radio and satellite connections to receive brief, frantic updates from the ground.
The Reality: Witnesses suggest that the situation is significantly more dire than the sporadic videos leaking to social media indicate.
As the government continues its efforts to systematically silence the population, the international community is being urged to keep a close watch on the plight of Iran's vulnerable Christian minority.
Sources: Barnabas Aid and Article 18
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