“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.

The new Tehran metro station named “Maryam-e Moqaddas,” or “Holy Mary,” features reliefs of Mary and Jesus Christ. Located on Line 6 (the pink line) in central Tehran, it opens at the end of November. Yet it is a surprising development in a nation dominated by Islam and known for strict limits on religious imagery.

Lana Silk from Transform Iran says, “It’s just political manipulation, and it’s far from reality.”

Representative photo: Man Standing Inside Train (photo courtesy of Francesco Paggiaro via Pexels)

The announcement comes during a wave of mass arrests of Christians. The government has become increasingly brazen and open in rounding up, interrogating, and persecuting anyone who practices a different faith. Many face extremely high bail and ongoing persecution.

In this context, the opening of the “Holy Mary” station is not only misleading but also offensive. Silk explains:

“Meanwhile, they [government] round up and question and arrest and imprison and torture Christians, including Armenian and Assyrian Christians who violate the terms of their faith.”

These “violations” for Armenians or Assyrians typically involve holding services in Persian, allowing non-ethnic Christians to attend, sharing their faith with Muslims, or engaging in unapproved church activities — actions that can trigger interrogation, arrest, or worse under Iranian law.

To some Muslims, the station may seem to project tolerance, since Mary (Maryam) and Jesus are mentioned in the Quran. But Christians in Iran point to a clear double standard: authorities showcase Christian imagery while persecuting believers who speak about Jesus and Mary from a biblical perspective. Silk says:

“But it’s all just a way around the topic of: Are we going to acknowledge that Jesus is God? Are we going to acknowledge His claims? And that, of course, is a flat-out ‘No’.”

Even so, the opening of a new metro station can still open doors for Gospel conversations, as thousands of commuters will see the reliefs daily.

“This is a great conversation starter in the homes of families where not everyone is yet a believer,” encourages Silk. These conversations can lead to simple but important questions: “Who was Mary? Who was Jesus?” And give believers a chance to explain.

Pray that the “Holy Mary” metro station prompts many Iranians to seek truth and learn more about Jesus. Visit Transform Iran to discover how you can support the persecuted Church in Iran!

Header representative photo: Taleghani Station, Tehran Metro (photo courtesy of ZarlokX via Wikimedia Commons).

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 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.

That might even be how some of them discover Jesus!

Earlier we covered a new project of Transform Iran: a satellite program called “War or Peace, Win or Lose”, created to meet the spiritual needs of Iranian believers safely through satellite TV. You can read more about it here. Since then, they’ve already released several episodes.

“So [there is] a lot of practical advice, a lot of prayer, a lot of biblical teaching to strengthen, encourage and resource the Church,” says Silk. Among the topics they cover are war, preparing for possible escalation, coping with shortages in the country, sharing the Gospel safely, and more.

Tehran, Iran (Photo courtesy of Khashayar Kouchpeydeh/Unsplash)

“There were episodes in there that directly addressed the leadership of Iran, talking about how they run the country, the curses that they have spoken over Israel for 46 years now, and warning them,” she adds.

The team noticed that shortly after an episode on Israel’s curse aired, one Iranian cleric went public to teach about cursing Israel — proving that the government is watching. But that’s not always bad news!

“Let’s pray because they are watching,” says Silk. “They are hearing the Gospel. They are hearing the truth. You know, the Word of God talks about this veil that is blinding people to the truth. Let’s pray that this veil will be lifted, that they will be able to see the truth and respond to it.”

Iranians can watch the program safely from home because, as Silk says, “No one can stop what is being broadcast on satellite TV, and no one can see what people are watching. And millions can benefit from these programs.”

The series began airing in early August, with enough content to run through the end of September, three times a week. To keep it fresh, more episodes are needed to cover the rest of the year.

The media Gospel is vital for the throbbing heart of the Iranian Church!

“There is a funding gap now, and I would really urge the listeners to get behind it. Normally, for a half-hour program, we can produce material for about $450 for 30 minutes,” says Silk.

Consider partnering with Transform Iran to help sponsor one of these episodes! Pray also that believers are encouraged by these programs, and that those opposing the Gospel will have their hearts softened and transformed.

Header photo courtesy of Karolina Grabowska via Pexels

State-run television in Iran has long been a tool of the government. Channels are filled with both open and subtle messages — Islamic future is the best for Iran, obey your leaders, and fear foreign influence. Yet amid the propaganda, a thin, bubbling stream of clean water flows: Christian satellite TV, offering the hope of the Gospel.

Photo courtesy of Ron Lach via Pexels

Lana Silk from Transform Iran says, “The only tool that seems to circumvent all these difficulties, and has done so for years, is satellite TV — a sure way to communicate uninterrupted with the masses in Iran, allowing people to access it without the government being able to stop them in any way.”

Sama TV has served as a media voice in Iran since 2001, producing over 5,000 programs broadcast daily via Mohabat TV on Hotbird 13A and E7B satellites. More than 16 million people are estimated to be watching. Click here to visit the Sama TV website!

The team also hopes to reach people in positions of power: “We put out some programs earlier this year that really challenged the government and said, ‘Look, the path that you are on is going to lead to this kind of war,’” explains Silk.

As Iranians face increasing persecution, Sama TV’s new program meets the people’s current spiritual needs. Silk says, “They’re called ‘War or Peace, Win or Lose,’ and they really talk about what it looks like to be a Christian living in a wartime environment.”

“We identified that Iranians have many questions right now and a strong need for encouragement, guidance, and solid biblical teaching on how to navigate their current situation,” adds Silk.

The program addresses pressing questions: How should believers think and pray about their leaders and country? How can they face urgent needs while responding biblically to enemies, peace, and peacemaking? In a complex situation, they seek to discern what it means to live in a godly way.

Pray for the listeners and team — or sponsor a program! Visit Transform Iran to learn how.

“The story is unfolding right before our eyes. And as Christians, we are called in the Word of God to be discerning of the times, to understand what God is doing, and to jump on board!” says Silk.

Header representative photo (courtesy of cottonbro studio via Pexels)

In Iran’s restrictive environment, many Iranians are afraid to voice their questions to a real-life person (Stock photo courtesy of Florin Palamarciuc via Unsplash)

Lana Silk with Transform Iran explains that in Iran’s restrictive environment, many Iranians are afraid to voice their questions to a real-life person. Yet the number of Christians in Iran is growing, and so is the number of Muslims seeking answers about their faith. These are just a few reasons that Kairos, a newly launched AI model from Transform Iran, is such a timely resource.

“It’s always been an age-old problem for Christian ministry in Iran to keep up with the demand,” Silk said.  

Silk explains that if you ask AI systems like ChatGPT about faith or Christian doctrine, “you will get very humanist, sort of ‘open to all possibilities’ kinds of answers, and sometimes favoring false doctrines as well.”

Not so with Kairos. It pulls only from a carefully vetted library of resources from Transform Iran’s Christian apologetics center.

“What people can do with Kairos is ask those questions and have a conversation with a system that understands Christianity thoroughly and understands how it interacts with Islam, and all of the questions that Muslims have about that sort of conversion,” said Silk. 

Kairos offers Iranians safety and anonymity. It also responds as a baseline counselor. By gathering information from the topics and even the word choices people use, Kairos will suggest to them when human counseling is needed. It can point people to contact Transform Iran’s follow-up counseling team. 

You can try Kairos out for yourself! The model is tailored for the Farsi-speaking world but is available in over 250 languages. Transform Iran intends to train Kairos to operate in many of Iran’s ethnic languages as well. 

“Pray for the people involved on this project. Pray for the project itself that it will withstand the attacks of the Iranian government, who will try their best to derail it,” said Silk. “Then pray and see if the Lord might have you invest in it, because there [are] some really exciting new things we’re wanting to build into it.”

Header photo courtesy of Ashkan Forouzani via Unsplash. 

Lana Silk with Transform Iran describes Iranian believers this way: “They love Jesus. They prize Him above all else. They are prepared to be persecuted, to be victimized, to be tortured, even imprisoned, killed, whatever it takes in order to continue to love Him and serve Him.”

Many believers are leading others to the Lord even when they are still new to the faith themselves. Silk says many Iranians have deep pain and need discipleship to help them deal with it rightly.

One Iranian woman we’ll call Shirin* radically encountered Jesus — but first He asked her to take a step in her own heart.

(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)

Shirin was attending an underground discipleship gathering with Transform Iran. She told God that she wanted a vision of Him, like she had heard about from other Christians. Later, the speaker told everyone in the room that they needed to take care of any unforgiveness in their hearts before taking communion.

“She knew God had laid out a clear choice for her, that she had to forgive every person who had hurt her along her path,” said Silk.

Shirin obeyed and prayed. Suddenly, her body began to tremble as the Holy Spirit began working inside her. She then felt a fire in her body.

“She closed her eyes, and then she saw Jesus standing there, His face glowing,” Silk said.

Afterward Shirin talked about how Jesus’ crown was golden. She described His appearance and smile with clarity. Silk said, “He spoke to her. He hugged her, kissed her on the forehead. He told her not to be afraid. He told her how much He loved her, and in that moment, He met the desires of her heart.” 

When Shirin surrendered her resentment to the Lord and chose to forgive, God mightily answered her prayer.

Read more of the account of Shirin’s story here.

Please pray for the underground Iranian church. Pray for more profound encounters with the Lord, continued strength and resources for gospel ministry, and that they would be filled with courage and protected by God.

“God is living and active, and that means He’s living and active everywhere, and He’s living and active in Iran,” Silk said.

*Name changed

Header photo courtesy of

Many Iranians pursue asylum to build a better future for their children. But sometimes, that decision brings more hardship than hope. Lana Silk from Transform Iran explains, “It’s a mental health crisis among children of Iran today — whether they’re in or outside the country — dealing with depression, anxiety, loneliness, and fear.”

Yet in the midst of that darkness, God gently knocks at their hearts, offering a peace no country or system can provide.

Kevin — name changed for security reasons — is the son of asylum seekers who ended up in Türkiye. When police took his father and led him into the unknown, Kevin’s world shattered.

Silk shares, “His father had been in deportation camp for 11 months already, and so he [the boy] was carrying a real emotional burden, for the distance from his father, and what that might mean for him and his family as a whole, whether their whole family would get forced to go back to Iran.”

(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)

Kevin’s mother brought him to the children’s ministry of Transform Iran. There, weekly activities — carefully designed by a psychologist — help children break free from the mental cage they are trapped in.

“So our aim is to connect them straight to the source — to Jesus — who loves them, who is more able than any of us to fully help them, heal them, deliver them, restore them,” says Silk (to learn more about the ministry’s approach and the challeges they face — follow this story).

Though shy at first, Kevin quickly felt accepted by the community. He even danced to worship music! “He began to really change — come alive. You could say, find himself again and learn more and more about Jesus — how much He loves him, and the hope he has in Christ,” adds Silk.

A few sessions later, two miracles followed. First, Kevin accepted Jesus as his Savior. And second: “His father was released from the camp. Totally unexpected, a real answer to prayer,” says Silk.

Now, Kevin is inspired to bring hope to other children who, like him, might be going through hard times. Empowering children is one of the Transform Iran ministry’s key goals: “You’re giving them purpose and an opportunity to serve — and you’re showing them how needed they are in the body — because there are things they can do that we can’t.”

Silk encourages, “Love them — be that catalyst of change by drawing them into a community that embraces them and helps them feel safe.”

Header photo courtesy of Achraf Talha via Unsplash.

In June, Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire after an intense exchange of fire. However, instead of bringing peace, it brought greater struggle for the Iranian people. The regime, having suffered damage to both its image and military strength, turned its focus inward. Now, they are hunting for so-called “enemies” within the State.

Lana Silk from Transform Iran says, “The Christians in Iran are under more scrutiny than ever before. The government is out for blood.”

Authorities are targeting those they believe may have helped Israel navigate its attacks on specific people or sites — and at the same time, they are looking for scapegoats to restore fear among the population.

“They are searching cars, homes, and digital content on people’s phones—some are even stopped randomly in the street. Hundreds have been arrested, not only Christians, and some have already been executed on charges of threatening national security,” says Silk.

Physical hardship adds another layer to the crisis. Food is growing scarce, and gas is strictly rationed. Silk describes: “Regular people are struggling to earn their living, as they depend on gas and transport. Moving money around is difficult. Day to day, survival has become a huge challenge.”

“Christians are now fighting mounting fear.”

Representative photo courtesy of Kindel Media via Pexels

Christians are in an especially vulnerable situation. The government considers any connection outside the country — especially to U.S.-based missions — a threat. Some ministries have had to cut ties with the local believers they were supporting, simply to protect them from possible persecution.

Silk adds, “Some are deleting all the digital data from their devices, linking them to Christian activities, in anticipation of arrest.”

Despite it all, Christians seek solace and strength in their faith in Christ. They have become a source of hope for those still walking in the darkness of despair.

“In our network, the believers are determined to stay and shine as a light on the hill in an environment that is increasingly oppressive for all citizens of Iran,” she says.

Just weeks ago, many Iranians hoped for change. Now they face even deeper distress — and need our earnest prayers.

Pray that as Transform Iran works to help Iranians, they will have the means and ways to do so safely.

“Pray for [their] courage. Pray for the perfect love of Jesus Christ to cast out all fear. Pray for the joy of the Lord to be their strength. Pray for practical provision. Pray for regime change,” urges Silk.

Header photo: representative photo of Iranian police (photo courtesy of Alireza Heidarpour via Pexels)