ICC Note: While the majority of attention paid to Iran in the media over the last few days has focused on its nuclear program, it is important to not overlook the massive reforms that are needed in terms of fundamental human rights. Iran is officially an Islamic Republic, and even more so significantly favors a specific brand of Islam and regularly and brutally restricts the rights of other faiths. The continued imprisonment of Iranian-American Saeed Abedini is the most visible example of a repressive regime that regularly persecutes Christians and other non-Shia Muslims.
By Brian J. Grim
11/11/2013 Iran (The Weekly Number) – After last week’s negotiations in Geneva over the future of Iran’s nuclear program ended without agreement, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has sought to reassure allies in the region that negotiations would not put their security at risk (NY Times).
Amid renewed attention to Iran, here are three things to know about religion in the Islamic Republic.
1. By far, Iran has the largest population of Shia Muslims of any country
Most Shia Muslims (between 68% and 80%) live in four countries: Iran, Pakistan, India and Iraq, according to a Pew Research study. Of these countries, Iran has the largest Shia population 66 million to 70 million Shias, or 37-40% of the world’s total Shia population. Iraq, India and Pakistan each are home to at least 16 million Shias.
Iran is one of only four countries – Iran, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Iraq – where Shia Muslims make up a majority of the total population.
Sizeable numbers of Shias (1 million or more) are found in Turkey, Yemen, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Nigeria and Tanzania. Shias constitute a relatively small percentage of the Muslim population elsewhere in the world. About 300,000 Shias are estimated to be living in North America, including both the U.S. and Canada, constituting about 10% of North America’s Muslim population.
2. Iran consistently ranks as one of the most religiously restrictive countries worldwide
Studies by the Pew Research Center consistently find that government restrictions on religion in Iran are among the world’s highest. The State Department’s annual report on international religious freedom summarizes these high restrictions:
The constitution and other laws and policies do not protect religious freedom, and in practice, the government severely restricted religious freedom.
The constitution declares the “official religion is Islam and the doctrine followed is that of Ja’afari (Twelver) Shiism.” The constitution states all laws and regulations must be based on undefined “Islamic criteria” and official interpretation of Sharia (Islamic law).
There were increased reports of the government charging religious and ethnic minorities with moharebeh (enmity against God), “anti-Islamic propaganda,” or vague national security crimes for their religious activities.
There continued to be reports of the government imprisoning, harassing, intimidating, and discriminating against people because of their religious beliefs.
The government imposed legal restrictions on proselytizing and regularly arrests members of the Zoroastrian and Christian communities for practicing their religion.
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