“Iranian children right now are victims of their wider society and the struggles that their parents face,” says Silk. “There’s a lot of very serious economic hardship in Iran today, and that is affecting the adult population in their mental health. There are a lot of people turning to drugs and alcohol. There’s a lot of joblessness and struggling to put food on the table. So that worry and stress and struggle, of course, is going to permeate the whole household. And children are very helpless in these kinds of situations.”

The weight of these challenges increases for Christian children. In Open Doors’ World Watch List, an annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most persecution, Iran ranks #9.  According to Silk, Christian Iranians have needed to be even more cautious with their faith since the 12 Day War in June, which started when Israel launched targeted airstrikes in Tehran, dramatically escalating conflict within the Middle East.

“The government is really scrutinizing everything and desperately trying to weed out the Christians, and these children have been very careful at school to toe the line and keep up pretenses that they are sympathetic, at least, to the Muslim faith. So all of that carries its toll.”

And while Iranians are free to acknowledge Christmas as a “festival,” that doesn’t mean Christians are safe to celebrate the meaning behind the day.

“People can still decorate their homes and make a fuss of that time of year,” says Silk, “but as soon as you get into a truly Christian celebration of what happened 2000 years ago, then that’s all going to be kept quiet.”

She notes that Iranian children outside of Iran are mostly refugees, with their own set of challenges: “A lot of the issues they face really affect their sense of well-being, even mental health, depression, anxiety, panic attacks.” However, evangelism efforts are much less dangerous for Iranian refugees than for Christians living within Iran.

“We do a lot of that, particularly in Turkey, where we can gather other refugee Iranians who are all living a sort of bleak life at the time,” Silk says. “And so the Christian families can say our holy celebration is coming up. So it’s a great way just to gather a community, and of course, through that, then we get to bless these families, practically and spiritually, sharing truth.”

For all Iranian children—Christian or not, within Iran or in refugee regions—Transform Iran is working to share joy through Operation Christmas Joy, a six-week program where families gather and talk about Jesus and what Christmas means, culminating with a gift for each child that helps meet a practical need.

“We talk a lot about joy and peace and hope at Christmas time,” says Silk. “We thought, well, how do we share the gospel message with children and truly allow it to penetrate their lives so that it does birth joy in their hearts? We want them to be laughing again and dancing again and enjoying community.”

To learn more about partnering with Transform Iran this Christmas, visit their website.

Header photo courtesy of Transform Iran.

Cloud-seeding is a method of spraying chemical salts into cloud formations, which encourages condensation that can lead to rain. Iran’s largest lake, Lake Urmia, received cloud-seeding over its watershed on November 15. 

But there’s no quick fix to the drought, even if rainfall surges. For example, rain did come over the weekend in the west and northwest of Iran — and it led to damaging floods.

“This drought is happening at the same time as years of bad management in the old infrastructure, and climate change. So recovery will take a long time,” says Edwin Keshish Abnous with Heart4Iran. 

Iranians are already struggling with daily life needs, especially in Tehran. “The general feeling is that life is getting more and more fragile,” says Abnous.

“Water shortages have also an effect on health, sanitation, and food supply, which are all problems that hit the poor hardest. But despite that, we still see amazing bravery and spiritual hunger in Iranians who are looking for hope in the middle of a crisis.”

Heart4Iran’s call center team sees God at work in even these crippling challenges.

“As things get worse, our team is getting ready to answer more questions about fear, provision, and God’s faithfulness,” Abnous says. “Every time there is hardship and challenges in the land, the spiritual curiosity goes up.”

Pray for families already facing financial difficulties to get the help they need. 

”Pray for emotional strength. If this uncertainty lasts long, people [will] start feeling hopeless,” says Abnous.

Iranians know they can’t solve the water shortage themselves. Pray that they discover Jesus in their searching. 

“Pray that God will use this time to bring people closer to hope, bring [them] closer to truth and peace that comes from the Christ,” Abnous says.

Tehran, Iran (Stock photo courtesy of Shiva Mardahi via Unsplash)

Header photo courtesy of Mostafa Meraji via Unsplash. 

When Mahsa Amini was killed in 2022 for wearing her hijab incorrectly, removing a hijab became a symbolic protest in Iran.

This September, Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, criticized Iran’s hijab laws, saying, “Human beings have a right to choose.”

Around the same time that Iranian parliament member Mohammad Reza Bahonar said that hijab laws are not enforceable.

Denise Godwin from International Media Ministries says that people in the West are not aware of the different protests because they are seen as quiet. But after the confrontation with Israel this summer, arrests seemed to rise.

In some areas, businesses are being persecuted for selling to women without hijabs. In a culture like this, families may pressure women to wear them, as it could result in repercussions for neighbors.

“I think there are a lot of cultural norms that they’re up against as well in this situation,” Godwin says. “Bravo, them that are trying to take Iran, Persia, back to what it was.”

Before the last 40 years, Iran was a more secular Islamic State. Where in the 1970s people wore western-style clothing, nowadays, not wearing socks is a violation of nudity and chastity laws.

Godwin says, beyond the freedom to choose whether to wear a hijab or not, people need freedom of religion.

“Freedom to choose whether you’re going to be Islamic, even if you were born into an Islamic family. That’s not an option in Islamic countries,” she says.

As other countries also vie for human rights Godwin says, “I think it’s an incredible time in the world as we know it, to see these things changing almost daily before our eyes, and pray for powers of darkness to be thrown down, that that truth will have an opportunity, that Jesus Christ and the salvation of God can even have a chance to get into a lot of these places in the world.”

The work of IMM is a tool for this and is sending the message of God around the world before missionaries or people can. As they supply people with education and exposure, Godwin says it’s important to get the Christian message out. If believers don’t send messages out, others will.

IMM has finished filming their series Esther: Queen of Hope in Farsi. IMM had received requests for the project before, and they see now that the timing of the message is strategic.

Esther, Queen of the Persians, once represented her nation in need, just as Iran is in need today.

IMM creates a new series about the story of Esther. Photo Provided by IMM.

In Esther’s day, women could take on roles like judges and landowners.

King Cyrus was the first of the Persian Empire to implement religious freedom. He essentially said, “We’re not going to obliterate and relocate everybody. As long as you are an obedient citizen, pay your taxes, and don’t cause trouble, you can continue with your God and your religion,” Godwin says.

“That’s what makes the Esther story so remarkable, because it wasn’t in the DNA of the Persian Empire to obliterate a bunch of people for no particular reason, [when] they were not in an uprising,” Godwin says.

Godwin says that when Haman tried to punish the Jewish people, Esther didn’t just save her own people. She saved all the Persians from this controlling law.

These stories seem to resonate more as history repeats itself.

“I’m meeting people from outside the country who have mostly escaped due to political or religious persecution,” Godwin says. “These people all say that the regime is not Iran, it is not Iranians, it doesn’t represent them, and that they do look forward to a time when there can be friendship and peace between Israel and Iran.”

IMM is also working to make children’s programs, creating opportunities to instill biblical and critical thinking.

When people leave the Islamic faith, they often turn to atheism first, but struggle with giving up on the concept of God. When they meet Jesus, it becomes a huge revelation.

Please pray for the opportunities these people have through the media. Pray for people on the ground who are evangelizing despite the risk of persecution. As tension continues between Israel and Iran, pray for the people in these countries who want peace.

Pray that people in Iran will receive human rights and an end to persecution, and that people will hear about salvation and know the truth of Jesus Christ. Pray for peace in this region and for the Middle East to change in ways that reflect Jesus Christ.

Header Image by mostafa meraji from Pixabay

Women in Iran wearing the traditional hijab and loose-fitting clothing required by sharia law. (Photo courtesy of mostafa meraji/Unsplash)

Israel is among those concerned about Iran’s nuclear enrichment program. It has stated that it will not allow Iran to rebuild its nuclear capacities. But Iran insists that its developments are only for civilian purposes. 

It’s complex, isn’t it? Samuel* from Redemptive Stories explains a few things about Iran’s relationships that we might miss. First comes Israel. Why does the Iranian regime want Israel off the map? 

“It’s more complicated than just all ‘Oh, they are Muslims and those are Jews and so they hate each other,'” Samuel says. “There [are] other political and even economic factors that play into this frustration, angst, and hatred that goes back and forth between them.” 

For example, Israel has a voice in the Middle East as an ally of certain Western powers.

“The sanctions that are put on Iran, at least in part, are all related to Israel’s sentiments towards Iran, and the power that they wield within the US as well as Europe,” says Samuel.

The enmity has manifested itself in many conflicts. For years, Iran has waged war with Israel through proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. It has leveraged its influence in nations and groups with high numbers of Shia Muslims, such as Syria and Iraq.

Azadi Square, Tehran, Iran (Stock photo courtesy of Erfan Ro via Unsplash)

“Iran — they’re 94% Shia. Therefore, they are viewed, at least because of their power and their position, as the heart of Shia Islam,” explains Samuel.

“So Hezbollah, being Shia, also leans back to look to Iran for help. And Iran is helping. That is why Israel continues to bomb in the south of Lebanon and to attack targets that are there, because Hezbollah has so far resisted any thoughts of disarming.”

Conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, Israel and Iran have brought devastation, but “God is a friend near to those that walk through pain,” Samuel says. Pray that there will be enough peace in the Middle East for Christians to bring the love of Christ to the people suffering.

“If you look at the 20 points that have been laid out for Gaza [in the ceasefire deal], they really create opportunities for human flourishing to really occur in that area,” says Samuel. “But is there enough trust to walk them out? That is a different question.” 

*Pseudonym

Header photo: Tafresh, Markazi Province, Iran (Photo courtesy of Mostafa Meraji via Unsplash)

At school, Christian children must live double lives. Home is the only safe place to explore real truth, while outside, Islamic ideology dominates.

Lana Silk from Transform Iran says, “All material has a flavor of Islam. You know, even if you’re doing math or the arts.”

Sama Kindergarten and Elementary School (Photo courtesy of Sonia Sevilla via Wikimedia Commons)

Beyond regular subjects, students take religious classes to learn Islam and Arabic so they can recite Namaz and become proper Muslims. Even familiar Bible stories are rewritten through an Islamic lens.

“They have to be able to talk about the Islamic version at school, play along, and pretend that’s their reality — all while keeping the differences straight in their minds and not mixing them up. It’s a lot of pressure on the children,” explains Silk.

At home, Christian parents try to keep their children grounded in Scripture, but many lack training. That’s where Transform Iran steps in.

“We do a lot of ministry that focuses on children and have created resources focused on children to give parents the tools they need to help instill these foundations in their children at a young age, so that they grow up knowing the truth,” says Silk.

Whenever possible, the ministry organizes discreet gatherings — every few weeks or monthly — in small home groups led by trained teachers who use age-appropriate, biblically based materials.

For many children, the difference between truth and falsehood is tangible.

First day of Iranian new education year (Photo courtesy of Sonia Sevilla via Wikimedia Commons)

“They experience the love of God very early in their lives in Christian homes, and particularly in Iran’s toxic climate, they recognize that at home there is joy and peace — something lacking outside their home,” says Silk.

Yet this double life takes a toll. Many children struggle with anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem as they navigate two conflicting worlds. They need your prayers.

Pray for Iranian parents to wisely guide their children through the emotional strain of their environment. Pray for children to hold fast to the truth they know at home.

Learn more about how Transform Iran equips families and children to live faithfully in one of the world’s most challenging environments.

Header photo courtesy of Mohammad Moslehi via Unsplash.

The recent war between Israel and Iran, combined with sanctions and inner conflicts within the Republic, is shaking Iran’s foundations. While it remains unclear if major change is coming soon, one thing is clear: the Church must be strong to stand firm when the time comes.

Panayiotis Keenan from SAT-7 PARS says, “The Iranian people have had enough. They’re looking for a change. The government knows it, the parliament knows it, and it looks like they’re losing control.”

But Christians are not the only ones preparing to enter Iran if the door opens.

Aerial view of Tehran (photo courtesy of Sajad Nori via Unsplash)

“There are also other denominations, if you like, who are ready to step in when the regime falls, teaching not correct theology,” says Keenan.

This highlights the urgent need for solid biblical teaching — both for new believers who lack knowledge and for seekers exploring the faith. “There is a need for us to produce programs which are designed for not yet believers, like introduction to Christianity, introduction to the Gospel,” he explains.

Disappointment with Islam has fueled Iranians’ interest in other religions and ideologies. And unless Christians are nourished with the “solid food” of the Gospel, they will not be able to train themselves to distinguish good from evil (Heb. 5:14), disciple others, and remain steadfast in turbulent times.

Keenan urges preparation:

“We need to prepare ourselves as Christian ministries. We need to prepare our viewers, our audience, to know right from wrong, to know incorrect theology, to identify it, and not accept it.”

SAT-7 PARS is equipping Iranian Christians by creating satellite and online programs. “We teach very basic theology, but we also have seminaries on air for the church leaders.”

Viewers can also call in with questions, opening the door to discipleship through secure Zoom meetings. “If they’re ready to pray, if they’re ready to learn Scripture, if they’re ready to give their life to Christ,” explains Keenan, “and they admit it even on Zoom — before they go and get actually baptized.”

After careful vetting to ensure they are trustworthy and not government informants, some are welcomed into Christian communities! And staying in the Word means they will be ready to respond to the challenges of the time.

This is a historic moment for Iran — and your prayer and action matter! Visit SAT-7 PARS to learn more about their work. Share the link with your Iranian, Afghan, or Tajik acquaintances.

Pray for the right Christian resources to reach and strengthen Iranian church leaders in the Gospel. Pray also for the Church to endure persecution and prepare for the day the door finally opens.

Header photo: Tehran, People gather at a brightly lit mosque at night (Photo courtesy of Mdreza Jalali via Unsplash)

“After the war, they realized there are many spies [who] find government secrets and send [them] to Israel,” she says. “They are blaming everyone.”

One watchdog organization reports that journalists have been especially targeted. Baghestani adds Christians and Baha’is to the list. She says the government accuses believers of being “Zionist Christians” spying for Israel. It’s a fast track to prison. 

“More than I would say 70 Christians are in prison currently, awaiting their sentences,” Baghestani says. 

Heart4Iran knows of house churches that have been raided and at least one pastor who was arrested and tortured so severely that he shared names of other believers. 

“Some have just left their homes and cars where they are, and they just fled for their lives,” says Baghestani. “It’s sad, because we have prayed with these friends, with these Christians inside the country. We have discipled them. They are like our [children], and we are responsible for them.”

People’s fear of being monitored has kept them from calling Heart4Iran’s counseling center, which has seen its daily call volume drop.

(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)

“Everybody — Christian or non-Christian, the youth, the old — they all live in fear. Fear of arrest, fear of even getting killed on the streets. They come and stab you, and nobody knows why. You’re dead on the street, bleeding, and there is no answer,” Baghestani says. 

“When Mahsa Amini [protests] started, all the youth [rose up]. But now the youth are quiet. Where are they? They’re scared. They’re afraid.”

She says Iranians are placing notes and stickers in public places as signs of protest rather than taking to the streets themselves.

Let these accounts lead your prayers for the Iranian church.

“The Lord is good. The Lord is faithful. The Lord can protect them in the midst of all the persecution,” Baghestani says. 

Then, share this story. Visit Heart4Iran’s website to learn more about the Church in Iran.

“When we educate one another [about] what’s going on, when we bring awareness, we will be able to pray better for our people inside the country,” Baghestani says. 

“As much as we feel we are safe and there is no persecution, at these end times, persecution is spreading. If there is persecution in Iran, it will ooze out, and it will affect Christians all over the world.” 

Header image is a stock photo from Tehran, Iran courtesy of Seyed Amir Mohammad Tabatabaee.

“That means that downloading the videos, audio, and all sorts of resources that Iranian or Western ministries are preparing for Iranians inside the country are not easy to consume.”

The regime’s constant monitoring of digital activity means that consistent, meaningful communication with people inside the country is a challenge for ministry partners outside of it. When Iranians do communicate online, they do so through virtual private networks (VPNs), which serve as pipelines to Biblical resources. But Abnous says this is a channel that isn’t always open. 

“VPN is the only way for them to be able to communicate outside the country, but if the internet is shut down, the VPNs are basically useless.”

In the absence of internet connection, one of the most common ways Iranians access Biblical resources is through satellite television. Censorship of this medium is not widespread in Iran, and Abnous says there is no way for Iran to track viewership. Thus, Biblically faithful TV programming remains an open door for reaching Iranians. 

Image courtesy of Heart4Iran

Another door opener is Artificial Intelligence.

“Either on TV or social media, there are ways for us to use these new technologies to not only minimize the challenges of the security of Iranians but also be more efficient and effective when we’re sending content inside Iran,” Abnous says. 

Recently, Heart4Iran has been employing a version of ChatGPT trained to operate with a Biblical worldview. 

“We have tested multiple times, and we’re getting constant feedback,” Abnous says. “As an Iranian Christian or an Iranian seeker inside the country is asking the question, the answer they get is Biblical.” 

Abnous says the other beautiful aspect of using AI is to be able to clean, categorize, and tag data in an analyzable format. 

“That is of great value for ministries outside the country because we’re dealing with a country that is very restricted. So to have these tools at our disposal, we will have better insight inside the country to see who is consuming, the demographic, the type of content they’re interested to consume.”

Looking forward, the team at Heart4Iran hopes to ensure personal connection by introducing internet searchers to Christians who can pick up where AI leaves off. 

Please pray for the security of Iranians inside the country as well as ministry partners interacting with them. 

Pray for anointed decision-making that will bring forth fruit in places that were once desolate.

Pray for Heart4Iran to wisely steward its resources. 

Pray that God would pave the way for more ministries to partner with Heart4Iran in reaching this closed country. 

“Especially these days with the advancement of technology,” Abnous points out, “you’re always excited to try every new thing that comes in the market, but we want to have that discernment to make sure what is needed now, how to use it, how to master it, how to educate our team members to use it best.”

Photo courtesy of Transform Iran; header photo courtesy of Markus Winkler via Pexels

Iranians love their culture. Their home. Their history. But when they find the highest love – Jesus – and want to share Him with others – they are often forced into an endless move of survival.

Robert Duncan from Middle East Concern says, “Persecution against Christian converts, in particular in Iran, is quite strong. A lot of people respond to that, at least by considering leaving their country.”

This often concerns Christian leaders, evangelists, Bible smugglers – and those less fortunate, caught by weak security or betrayal.

“Often, if the persecution is severe, they don’t have a lot of time to prepare. This means that they don’t have time, for example, to get a visa to a country that they would perhaps choose to go to,” adds Duncan.

People are mourning for Imam Hossein in Hosseinieh Habibi, Khansar (Photo courtesy of Hasan Almasi via Unsplash)

If Iranian believers are arrested for their faith and forced to pay bail, it often costs them their property. Duncan explains, “It impoverishes them, and that means they don’t have a lot of financial resources to leave the country or to set up life anywhere else.”

For a quick escape, most choose visa-free neighbors: Türkiye, Armenia, or Georgia. But new challenges await.

Their first hurdle is legalizing their stay, usually through an asylum claim, proving they had a solid reason to leave. “They also have to demonstrate that it isn’t safe for them to return,” Duncan says, “and that if they were to go back to Iran, they would likely face severe rights violations.”

Authorities demand solid evidence — medical records, audio or video threats, witness statements, or other documented proof of danger. This evidence is often difficult to obtain once outside Iran.

Yet, even with proof, many Christian refugees are still denied. “There used to be many more [accepted cases], but the world is going through an asylum crisis at the moment,” Duncan explains.

And if accepted, life in the system offers little healthcare, education, or work. After a few years, many are released into uncertainty, rotating between those three countries.

“They’re in a situation where they don’t know when it’s going to end, and it can be very wearing,” Duncan says, adding that the pressures often strain relationships and daily survival.

Pray for Iranian believers seeking a safe home! And pray for religious freedom in Iran so believers can thrive without needing to flee.

Middle East Concern — together with Article 18, CSW, and Open Doors International — has published reports highlighting the plight of Iranian Christians seeking International protection in both Georgia and Türkiye. Check out these reports to uncover what’s happening — and see how you can pray and help!

Header photo courtesy of Anthony Nguyen via Pexels.

The Internet is a great tool to learn more about the situation in the world, deepen one’s knowledge of a certain topic, or find an answer to a burning question. But under Iranian laws, some innocent searches can land a person in jail.

Lana Silk of Transform Iran says,

“People are monitored and they’re brought in if their online activities are considered to be in violation of these requirements, these laws of the country. And there are all sorts of punishments, from questioning them, interrogating them, to imprisoning them, torturing them, taking away livelihoods.”

Despite the risks, Iranians search for news, popular movies and songs, and truth beyond Islam. They often turn to local VPNs — tools meant to hide their identity online. However, these are often unsafe.

“The problem is that VPNs in Iran are notoriously unreliable,” explains Silk. “They can be very expensive, and they can introduce malware.”

(Photo courtesy mikoto.raw via Pexels)

Moreover, many local VPNs are run by the government to leak personal data. Whether it is a question about the divinity of Jesus or a desire to check the news from government-disapproved websites, a quick search may lead to years of trouble.

Transform Iran responded by offering a free VPN!

“It is high speed, it’s reliable, it’s secure, but also our users can be confident to know that their data truly is secure and won’t be sold out to the government,” says Silk.

Most importantly, the Iranian church benefits from it!

“Now our church network, and all churches, all Christians in Iran, can use a VPN that they really can bank on as being safe for them to communicate with their other churches and with pastors and mentors from outside the country,” she adds.

But what about advertising? The free version carries ads, which the ministry uses to introduce people to Christian content, apologetics, and more.

Visit Transform Iran to learn of the practical ways you can support the Iranian church.

“Let’s pray that as far as the technology goes, it’s protected from interference from the governmen,” urges Silk.

Pray also that news of this opportunity spreads from person to person, reaching more believers as well as seekers who might learn about Jesus by following the ad link.

Header photo courtesy of Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels.