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. 

As Iran’s economic crisis deepens, authorities have imposed harsh measures that deplete what little savings citizens have left.

Nazanin Baghestani from Heart4Iran recalls a heartbreaking call from one mother. Her son was accused of stealing fifty dollars and fined five thousand dollars for his release.

“This mom was crying, and she said, This is injustice, and where do I get that money from?” adds Baghestani.

These steep fines are one way the government refills its coffers.

An Iranian woman stands at an overlook with a panoramic view of Tehran, Iran (Photo, caption courtesy of IMB CC 4.0)

“Of money, like 80% of all the government finance goes to the nuclear weapon, goes to war against Israel, weapons,” Baghestani explains.

She says less than ten percent of resources reach ordinary citizens. The result is food stortage, shuttered businesses, and failing banks. Since the United Nations reinstated sanctions in October, pressure on the population has only increased.

Yet amid the hardship, stories of hope continue to emerge.

One single mother who couldn’t afford school supplies for her son called the hotline for prayer.

“Two weeks later,” recalls Baghestani, “she called and said, My son’s classmate’s father just came and helped him. He came and gave him the books he needed.”

This act became pivotal in her faith journey. She had believed Jesus was only a prophet, but seeing such a quick answer to prayer changed her heart. “And she said, I always believed in Jesus, but now I believe He is alive — and He really listens,” adds Baghestani.

Kurdistan Province, Iran (photo courtesy of Peyvand Pezeshki via Pexels)

While there are many inspiring stories, fear of government discovery keeps many testimonies hidden.

“I’m sure God is at work in people’s lives and, you know, providing for them here and there,” Baghestani shares. “But unfortunately, we don’t always hear the testimonies because people are afraid to call.”

Pray that the hope of Christ will shine through Iran’s financial despair — in every family and community. Visit Heart4Iran to see how they find ways to encourage Iranians despite the crisis.

Header photo: Man in Mazandaran Province, Iran (photo courtesy of Lumière Rezaie 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

Nazanin Baghestani from Heart4Iran highlights the stark contrast between the way Persians and the government treat Kurds. “The people are so welcoming. You know, the Persians welcome all ethnicities, but the government is really against the Kurds, because some are Sunnis,” she explains, noting that the government is Shia.

Kurdistan Province, Iran (photo courtesy of Peyvand Pezeshki via Pexels)

Consequently, Kurds face systematic abuse. “There’s so much poverty among them, unemployment and even lack of services, lack of health insurances and they have to suffer through all this,” she adds.

Christian Kurds face a double threat: both for their ethnicity and their conversion from Islam. Baghestani recalls tragic events affecting some believers: “The ones who smuggled Bibles through the border inside the country get shot by the secret police.”

Yet, there is a plentiful harvest among Kurds.

Heart4Iran provides a way for Iranians to contact them and ask burning questions. Nazanin says that out of 3,000–4,000 calls, 100 are from Kurds. Of those, 70 per cent give their heart to Christ!

Their testimonies help shape outreach events, tailored to the needs of Kurds living in a stateless, rights-deprived environment. But the surest way to capture a Kurd’s attention from the first word is to speak in their language.

Take this man, for example:

“He came to Christ because he read a Kurdish Gospel, and he was so surprised that the Gospel was translated to Kurdish language, and he felt at home.”

He felt important, cared for, and valued — because someone had taken the time to translate the Gospel into his language.

“It was heartwarming to see how happy he was to read the Gospel in his own language,” Baghestani adds.

As Heart4Iran engages with many Iranians, you can support them by visiting their website or reading their news to know how to pray.

One of Baghestani’s biggest requests is for more local workers: “Pray for those Pauls and Peters to come out of the Kurdish people, and they will go and preach the Gospel to their own people.”

Representative header photo of a Kurd courtesy of Dastan Khdir via Pexels.

Photo of Tehran, Iran courtesy of Hamid Mohammad Hossein Zadeh Hashemi via Unsplash.

According to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, more than 50 Christians are among those who have been arrested since the June 24 ceasefire.

Nazanin Baghestani with Heart4Iran says the regime’s strategy of fear is working.

“People are afraid to call. People are afraid to talk to us. All their phone calls, all their apps are being tapped. Everything is monitored, and people inside the country have lost their hope.” 

Iran’s exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi, has led public dialogue on what a democratic Iran could look like. But Baghestani says politics are not the real frontline for the Church.

“Even if Reza Pahlavi comes on the scene, it doesn’t mean that the root of Islam is broken. It’s still there, and the persecution and the hardships will still be there,” she said. 

“We should pray that in spite of all this darkness, people will see the Lord.” 

Heart4Iran broadcasts Christian satellite TV into Iran, a medium that the Iranian government can’t so easily control. It’s a lifeline for isolated believers. So is the work of Heart4Iran’s call center team. They are carefully reaching out to Iranians. 

One man they connected with told them, “I see this as a sign from God that He still loves me.” 

One woman was overjoyed and said, “This is the first time I’m speaking to a Christian. We don’t know any Christians here, but we [have been] watching your channels for four years, and this is the first time I’ve called. I am so happy that I’m talking with a Christian.”

They are also seeing God do miracles! One widow reached out to the Heart4Iran team in desperate need of money and daily provisions.

(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)

“Of course, we cannot help her from here. We prayed for her. We encouraged her to believe in the Lord,” said Baghestani. “Unexpectedly, she received money from [a] far relative who owed her [late] husband. He paid the amount that he owed out of nowhere.”

Praise God for sending hope to His people. Pray for great spiritual awakening in Iran. Pray for protection for Iranian Christians, that they will not be discovered by authorities. 

“[We are] praying for hope, courage, strength, that in spite of all their disappointments, all their hardships, the inflation, the arrests, the tensions, the fear…that they will have hope and they will press on,” says Baghestani. 

Header photo is an image capture courtesy of Heart4Iran.

“Initially, when the attacks took place from Israel bombing Iranian military sites, there was a lot of enthusiasm from among the general public,” says Mike Ansari, the CEO of Heart4Iran. 

“The bit of information that did find its way out to our call center and other friends outside of Iran indicated a general sense of anticipation for a new season to be brewed — potentially even a change of regime, as most Iranians were hoping to see.”

(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)

But political change isn’t simple. Ansari says that as Israel-Iran tensions escalated, Iranians realized that there is a leadership gap among the opposition. 

“Therefore, the question that was raised is, ‘Well, what happens if there’s a regime change? Who will take over? What would be the outcome?’” he says.

Outside of Iran, Iran’s exiled prince is calling for support for a new Iran. Within Iran, men and women desire peace — with both Israel and America. 

“In fact, when you go on the streets and you talk to most people, they’re saying that the war that [the] Iranian government has waged is not their war,” says Ansari. 

Yet, Iranians remain under a chokehold. Ansari says banks are shut down and surveillance is at an all-time high. “In the last 10 days, the number of arrests is on [the] rise. Over 20 people have been rounded up, and it appears two people have been executed under the guise of being agents of Israel.”

The next few weeks and months will be especially dangerous for Iran’s growing church. 

“Remember, historically, anytime that Iran has gone through a crisis, the demographic of the underground church leaders and members have seen a rise in house raids, arrests, and confiscation of their homes or their belongings,” says Ansari.

Meanwhile, the internet in Iran is down, but satellite feeds remain active. That’s how Heart4Iran continues broadcasting the gospel. 

“[There] are a lot of Iranians that are glued to their TV trying to figure out what’s going on, and most of them are hopeless. So we have a unique opportunity to bring the gospel, the message of hope of Christ, to these masses that are hopeless,” says Ansari.

Heart4Iran provides satellite TV to connect Christians to the teaching and fellowship of other believers. (Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran on Facebook)

Pray for both Iran and Israel, that people will recognize the true freedom and life found only in Jesus.

“As we are dealing with Iran and Iranians, and the threat of imminent danger of American targets across Europe and America, please understand that the average Iranians that are in our neighborhood, they are noble people. These are peaceful people. They’re loving people,” says Ansari. “Just because the Iranian government is in a hostile situation, it does not mean that average Iranians are.”

Header photo: An Iranian woman stands at an overlook with a panoramic view of Tehran, Iran. Tehran is the capital of Iran and its largest city, with the greater metro area hosting a population of 15 million. (Photo, caption courtesy of IMB, CC 4.0)

The wail of sirens echoing through traffic-clogged roads has become a grim routine in Tehran. Other regions with strategic sites are experiencing the same reality, with people either fleeing or adjusting to life under the shadow of war.

Since the war between Israel and Iran erupted on June 13, 2025, the situation has rapidly escalated. The outcome remains unpredictable, but one thing is certain: the Iranian people need our prayers. Nazanin Baghestani from Heart4Iran offers four key points to help guide intercession.

A map showing the countries bordering Iran. (image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

1. This conflict is more than a war between nations.
“Regimes are clashing with young, popular or religious movements in a civilizational struggle,” says Baghestani. Iran is facing a power vacuum, and if events take a different turn, the country could spiral into civil war or fall into the hands of extremist groups.

Pray for God’s will to prevail, and for wisdom and unity among the Iranian people as they seek a new future.

2. Emotions are deeply mixed.
In a historically unique moment, many Iranians feel both fear and a strange sense of hope when foreign strikes target regime facilities. Baghestani explains, “Every time Israel strikes, it increases the people’s happiness while they’re concerned about the nation and land. Yet, they’re tired of this regime, and they become hopeful for its defeat.”

Pray that people find lasting peace in Christ, who never changes.

3. Daily life is becoming more difficult.
Casualties are rising, and vital resources like food, gas, and electricity are increasingly scarce. “The leaders are either fleeing or emptying their accounts, and they have no thought for the liberation of the people or their lives,” she adds.

Pray that communities will support one another and rebuild quickly with compassion and resilience.

4. This is a defining moment for the Church.
“Time is right for the church to both support the people and proclaim the message of salvation.” Baghestani adds, “The church should empathize with the oppressed, support the refugees, and stand against injustice — inviting people to pray for their enemies, not just for military victory.”

Don’t forget the Iranian believers who are navigating both the turmoil of war and the call of the Great Commission. Stand with them — in prayer and in action.

Find your place in the story! Visit Heart4Iran to learn more about the spiritual needs of the Iranian people and the ways you can help. Pray that Iranian believers and evangelists will be bold, wise, and filled with love as they share the hope of the Gospel — even under the wail of air raid sirens.

Header photo courtesy of Inimafoto A via Unsplash

When prison doors slam shut, believers in Iran are left face-to-face with their persecutors. In the past year alone, 96 Christians received sentences totaling 263 years. Just last month, believers Abbas Soori, Narges Nasri, and Mehran Shamloui were sentenced to over 40 years combined. The most heartbreaking part? Narges Nasri was pregnant with her first child when she was suddenly arrested.

Why such harsh sentences?

Mike Ansari of Heart4Iran explains: “Christian converts are usually charged with vague offenses such as acting against national security or propaganda against the regime, which are used to criminalize peaceful religious activities like attending house churches or sharing their faith.”

He adds that Iran’s judicial system, particularly the revolutionary courts, plays a central role in the persecution of Christians.

But persecution doesn’t have to silence us!

“Even from the safety of our homes, there are impactful ways that we can advocate for imprisoned Christians in Iran,” Ansari says.

Example of an advocacy campaign (courtesy of Sima Ghaffarzadeh via Pexels)

One powerful tool is social media activism. Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram can be used to highlight individual cases. With the right hashtags, these stories can reach international organizations and spark global concern.

Another way is through letter-writing and petition campaigns calling for the release of specific prisoners. “This would include writing letters to Iranian embassies or international human rights organizations to apply pressure,” says Ansari.

Additionally, believers can support advocacy organizations such as Article 18, Global Christian Relief, Open Doors, and International Christian Response. “They work tirelessly to document abuses,” Ansari explains, “and support victims. So donating to or volunteering with these groups can definitely enhance their efforts and then engage with policy makers.” Partnering with advocacy groups is especially important because public exposure, if done carelessly, can worsen a prisoner’s situation. These organizations know how to handle sensitive cases wisely and effectively.

Public outcry has made a difference before!

Cases like Marziyeh Amirizadeh and Maryam Rostampour gained international attention that led to their release. The death sentence of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was also overturned after widespread advocacy.

And while Iranian believers may be behind bars, they should never be without the faithful prayers of the global Church. Mike Ansari from Heart4Iran encourages intercession: “Consider focusing on praying for the physical and spiritual strength of the imprisoned Christians and their families. Ask for fair legal proceedings and the overturning of unjust sentences!”

“For although the challenges faced by Christians in Iran are severe, our collective efforts, through advocacy, awareness, and prayer, can make a tangible difference by staying informed and actively supporting those on the front lines,” he adds.

Header photo: Prisoner (photo courtesy of Ron Lach via Pexels)

Tragically, those who often pay the price in these conflicts are ordinary people. At least 67 people have been killed in U.S. airstrikes, according to casualty numbers released by the Houthis.

Hope is already hard to find in Yemen. The past decade of civil war between the government and Houthis has created one of the worst humanitarian crises today. More than half of the people in Yemen need urgent aid; more than 80% live under the poverty line.

“The people in Yemen are noble people. Their heritage, their history, is so rich — yet they have had the misfortune of dealing with certain crisis over the years, famine and other challenges. So the level of hopelessness, again, has been on the rise,” says Mike Ansari with Heart4Iran.

(Children in Yemen courtesy of Irwan Zahuri via Pexels)

Yet God is building His Church in Yemen. 

“That deep-seated hopelessness results in your heart being more open, and that openness [it] is creating is allowing them to be able to see the light of Jesus,” says Ansari. 

“Within the Middle East, people are having dreams and visions, or somebody is telling them, ‘Look, I had this experience. I had an encounter with Jesus. My life is richer. Would you like to try it?’ That’s how we’re seeing people of Yemen, within certain communities, gravitate more towards Christianity.”

Ansari calls Yemen’s growing underground church “a promising beacon within the Arab world.” They are no strangers to persecution — believers there have reached out to ministries like Heart4Iran; they say they look up to Iran’s underground church in Iran.

Discipleship is a pressing need. In both Iran and Yemen, discipleship “takes place, first of all, through God’s grace, and second of all, through face to face, trusted communication,” says Ansari.

Then, because of lack of physical and community resources, “Many of them (persecuted believers across the world) are resorting to connecting on social media, on following satellite TV programs and/or try[ing] to download Bibles and connect with people outside of these regions that could basically mentor them.”

Find your place in the story

(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)

Gospel ministries in Yemen and across the Middle East, North Africa need your support in this work. That’s why Ansari invites you to prayerfully research and partner with one of them. 

“We do have a bit of legwork that we [each] need to do to validate from these ministries and organizations the ones that we feel represent our heart goal,” Ansari says. “But we do need to be more missional in America to understand that God is still on the move.”

He continues, “Jesus is on the move. We need to open up our eyes and see that He’s calling us to partner with Him and go across the world to the different regions, and baptize people in the name of Jesus. That is the Great Commission that every single one of us [was] called to take part in.

“So let us come together, explore amazing opportunities in difficult regions in [the] Middle East, partner with other organizations and spread the gospel.”

You can start by learning more about Heart4Iran here.

Header image is a representative stock photo of a boy in Yemen courtesy of Nazar Alareqe via Pexels.