Sentences Upheld

Middle East Concern, World Watch Monitor, Mission Network News 10 May 2018

Saheb Fadaie, Youcef Nadarkhani, Yasser Mossayebzadeh and Mohammad-Reza Omidi - World Watch Monitor

From left: Saheb Fadaie, Youcef Nadarkhani, Yasser Mossayebzadeh and Mohammad-Reza Omidi
Photo: World Watch Monitor

An appeal court in Iran has upheld a ten-year prison sentence against four Christians accused of "promoting Zionist Christianity" and propagating house churches. The lawyer representing Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, Mohammad-Reza Omidi, Yasser Mossayebzadeh, and Saheb Fadaie received the notice on May 2nd.

Pastor Youcef and Mohammad-Reza were also sentenced to two years' internal exile to an area far away from their families. Additionally, Yasser, Saheb and Mohammad-Reza face a sentence of 80 lashes for the consumption of wine, since they were arrested while taking communion in May 2016.

In another case, an appeal hearing for Shamiram Isavi Khabizeh, wife of pastor Victor Bet Tamraz, was held on May 9th. Shamiram was sentenced in January to five years in prison for acting against the regime by organizing small groups, attending seminary abroad, and training church leaders and pastors "to act as spies."

During Shamiram's appeal, the judge accused her entire family of various crimes. She was not allowed to speak in response, except through her lawyer. No date has been set for a further appeal hearing. According to Miles Windsor of Middle East Concern, sentences for Iranian Christians have become increasingly harsh in the past year. Despite this, Christians remain bold in sharing their faith.

2018-05-10

Current Ministry Fund
By funding television broadcasts, VOMC is making it possible for a vast audience of viewers to be reached throughout Iran with the "Good News" of Jesus' love via satellite.

Project Fund: Underground Church
Country Information
Designation
Persecuted

Population
87,590,873 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity
Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen and Turkic tribes

Religion (%)
Islam (98.5), Christian (0.7), Baha'i (0.3), agnostic (0.3), other (0.2)

Leader
Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-Khamenei (1989)

Government type
Theocratic republic

Legal system
Religious legal system based on secular and Islamic law

Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Iran
As the Gospel message goes forth over the airwaves, may the growth of the church continue to multiply despite persecution. Pray that the Iranian government will be open to change, allowing full rights and protection for its non-Muslim citizens as well. In the meantime, may those who are forced to flee the country find safe refuge and help so they can live in peace and worship the Lord with freedom.

Iran News

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Morteza Faghanpour-Saasi
Photo: Article18

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Retrial Denied for Imprisoned Believer

Mehran Shamloui
Photo: Article 18

Iran's Supreme Court has recently rejected the application for a retrial that was submitted on behalf of Mehran Shamloui, a Christian believer who is currently serving a ten-year prison sentence for his participation in house church activities. Recipients of previously published Persecution & Prayer Alert reports may recall that Mehran had fled to Türkiye in search of refuge. While there, the accused Iranian was apprehended and forced to return to Iran, where he had subsequently been arrested. (The initially posted report regarding Mehran's arrest may be reviewed here.)

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A map of Iran, marking the arrests
of Christians since June 24, 2025.
(Click on the image for a larger view.)
Photo: Article18

Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) recently reported that over 50 Christians have been arrested since the end of the recent conflict between Iran and Israel in June 2025. The country's intelligence agency labelled the detained believers as "Mossad mercenaries," claiming that they had been trained by churches abroad and were now operating "under the guise of the Zionist Christian evangelization movement."

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Convicted Christian Deported and Arrested

Mehran Shamloui
Photo: Article 18

On March 8th, Mehran Shamloui was one of three Christians convicted in Iran for "propaganda" and membership in an alleged "opposition group." He was sentenced to more than ten years in prison. (For more details, see this report.)

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