ICC Note:

As unrest continues in Iran, underground church leaders are asking for prayer on how to approach the situation. First, they are seeking wisdom on whether they should openly do ministry among those who are protesting. Secondly, they attempting to discern how Iran as a nation can become free so that Christians have freedom of religion. Exactly how the unrest will impact the church is of great concern to many leaders. The regime has responded to the unrest in a predictable manner: with harshness. Iranians are weary of the regime’s harshness and are eager for change to come to their country.  

01/06/2018 Iran (Mission Network News) –    While much of the world was anticipating the possibilities of the new year, Iranians were busy calling upon their government for change in widespread protests that continue today.

*Peter Smith was able to speak with strategically placed Christians in Iran about the situation that is unfolding.

He says, “About [seven] days ago inside Iran, what started as a riot towards the price increase of eggs — the price of eggs went up by 40 percent and so the people said, ‘Hey, that’s too much!’ — it has since turned into a political revolt. And what started in the city of Mashhad, which is the Shiite holy city on the coast near Afghanistan, has now spread to than 100 different cities inside Iran.”

The protests have grown in both scope and size, and what started as a small group of protesters has garnered international attention.

As of yesterday morning, Smith said, “What I’ve heard so far in the first six days is anywhere from 16-25 people have been killed. There are hundreds and hundreds of people who have been arrested.”

The Washington Post says that at least 20 people have been killed so far. Smith believes that one reason the world is lending an ear to these protests is to ask the question, “Is this going to lead to regime change, or is this something internally that the country needs to deal with?”

Either way, the people in the streets are calling for change—both in leadership and how the nation’s money is used.

“This time, the revolt seems to be among the … poor people, people who live in the parts of the cities where the economics are not as good. And what they’re saying is, ‘look, if you really want to help bring regime change, we need help from the outside.”

In particular, he says they’re calling on the influential nations in Europe, and on the United States. It remains to be seen where this revolt will take Iran.

“Especially this week, I think, is very crucial because it’s either going to continue and get worse, or the Revolutionary Guard will come in and squelch it totally. And so, what the outside world does to influence any decision, I think the next two or three days are very critical.”

While Iran has a broad spectrum of issues, there is a story unfolding that brings hope. Despite the extreme opposition Christians face, the underground Church is growing in Iran. As we’ve mentioned recently, Iran is currently the fastest growing body of believers in the world. And they are just as concerned about what’s happening in Iran as their non-Christian neighbors.

Smith says on speaking with Church leaders, he learned of two things they’re focusing on in particular:  “First of all, they’re asking for prayer — prayer to know how they should go out into the streets and do ministry among those who are doing the rioting. And secondly [what] they’re trying to figure out is, ‘long term, will we as a nation be free so that we can have freedom of religion? So we can meet openly in parks or in buildings without the threat of the Revolutionary Guard or others to come in and arrest us?”

…

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: [email protected]