Pray for Iran

We are closely following the situation in Iran and are praying for the Iranian people and their leadership. Our hearts go out to the Iranian people as they continue to bear the brunt of suffering.

For many of us in the west, Iran conjures up images of Islamic radicalism and Death to Israel and Death to America chants. But did you know that Iran and Israel did not become geopolitical enemies until the 1979 Islamic revolution? The negative attitudes towards Israel and the west are prevalent among Iran’s political leadership and military, but they are not reflective of the average Iranian person. In fact, surveys show Iranians to be the least anti-Semitic people in the Middle East, by a fairly wide margin. Sadly, it is the Iranian people who are the most affected by crippling sanctions and restrictive laws. They are the ones who lose their homes and their lives when conflict erupts.

The Gospel has taken root in Iran and underground church networks are growing. As we have previously discussed, Iranian officials recently reported that 50,000 of the country’s 75,000 mosques have closed, and there are reports that over a million former Muslims in Iran have come to faith in Jesus in the 21st century. These Iranian Christians are praying not only for their own leaders, but also for Israel.

Iranian Christians are doubly persecuted as they live in one of the few countries in the world under Sharia law. They are tracked and hunted down by a sophisticated surveillance regime which views conversion to Christianity as a betrayal. Yet Iranian Christians continue to be brave witnesses and disciple-makers, pursuing the Lord with a zeal that encourages us to live out our faith boldly.

The Tide has seen the doors gradually closing in Afghanistan since the Taliban regained control in 2021 and decoupled the Afghan people from foreign influence. As a near-culture people speaking a mutually intelligible language, Iranian Christians are well-positioned to take up the burden of evangelizing the Afghan people.

While many Iranians are hoping for change in political leadership, we are reminded that God is not so small that He needs a specific type of regime in order to accomplish His purposes. Nonetheless, we pray for the people of Iran to experience both spiritual and physical freedom. Regardless of the geopolitical outcome, we pray that the love of Christ would overflow the nation of Iran and that the peace of Christ will permeate hearts throughout the region.