Iran Hauls Off Christian Pastor, Shuts Down One Of The Nation’s Largest Churches In New Anti-Christian Sweep

Revelation 2:10, “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer … Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Fox News – “Government agents shut down Iran’s largest Persian-language Pentecostal church Monday, just one week after one of its pastors was arrested and hauled away midway through a worship service.

The closing of Central Assemblies of God church in Tehran is the latest case of the Islamic Republic’s leadership cracking down on Christians ahead of the June 14 presidential election to replace President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Leaders appear especially wary of groups deemed dangerous to their power base, including growing Christian churches, according to Iranian Christians and rights groups who spoke to BosNewsLife, a news agency that specializes in the plight of Christians in Middle Eastern nations.

‘These incidents appear to be an attempt to stop worship services from being conducted in Farsi, the language of the majority of Iranians,’ George Wood, general superintendent of the AoG in the U.S., told the service. ‘Services are allowed in Armenian, a minority language that most Iranians do not speak or even understand.’

On May 21, authorities grabbed Pastor Robert Asserian while services were under way. They have not told parishioners where he is being held.

‘Before going to the church, authorities raided Pastor Asserian’s home, where they confiscated a computer and several books,’ Wood said. ‘Then, they found Pastor Asserian at the church leading the prayer service, immediately arrested him and announced the church’s imminent closure.’

Christian groups fear a further erosion of what little tolerance of religious diversity has existed in Iran.” Read more.

Flashback: Iran Intensifies Violent Crackdown On Christians, Even Imprisoning Nursing Mothers For Being Non-Muslim – “Iran’s hard-line regime has intensified its violent crackdown on Christians and other religious minorities, even imprisoning nursing mothers for practicing their faith, according to a new UN report. The March report provides a rare, detailed view into the shocking treatment of Christians in Iran, where American Pastor Saeed Abedini is serving an eight-year sentence for his alleged work with Christians. ‘The persecution of Christians has increased,’ said Ahmed Shaheed, the UN’s expert on human rights in Iran.” Read more.

Flashback: Unable To Buy Or Sell: Iran Refusing Business License For Convert To Christianity, Orders Businesses Not To Employ Christians – “Iranian authorities refuse to allow a young man to start his own company because he converted to Christianity and was previously detained on charges of ‘apostasy’, or ‘abandoning Islam’, Iranian Christians said Saturday, July 14. The Iranian Christian, who was not identified, had reportedly been trying to obtain a business license for ‘a technical company’ in northern Iran… Outside prison, government offices are reportedly ordered not to employ Christians and Christians have been deprived from high school or university education, or running their own schools, according to Iranians with close knowledge about the situation.” Read more.