Imprisoned Christians Released!

Imprisoned Christians Released!

Anooshavan Avedian & Mehdi "Yasser" Akbari
Pastor Anooshavan Avedian and Mehdi "Yasser" Akbari
Photos: Article 18

With thankfulness to God for His faithfulness, we are pleased to announce that the following two believers, both of whom were imprisoned for their faith in Iran, have been released during recent days:

Pastor Anooshavan Avedian was arrested in 2020 and charged with spreading "propaganda contrary to and disturbing to the holy religion of Islam." In 2022, an Iranian court convicted and sentenced him to ten years in prison. The pastor officially began serving his sentence in the notorious Evin Prison as of September 18th, 2023.

On September 24th of this year, an appeals court acquitted Pastor Anooshavan of all charges and ordered that he be released from prison. Upon his release, the Christian leader was reported as being excited and glad. He was also deeply relieved to learn that everyone in his family had been doing well. For background reports published by VOMC regarding Pastor Anooshavan's case, go to this page.

Mehdi "Yasser" Akbari, a single parent of a disabled son, was arrested in 2019 on charges of "acting against national security" – a common accusation used against Iranian Christians. After being sentenced to ten years in prison, Yasser had been taken into custody and his son was sent to a facility where he sadly passed away in 2021. Despite Yasser's pleas to the authorities, he was not allowed to be present for his son's burial. See more details about this heartrending situation.

After Yasser had served more than four years in prison, judicial officials of the country's Supreme Court agreed to hear his case in April 2024. As a result of this most recent hearing, the Christian man's sentence was reduced to four years and five months. On September 29th, Yasser had finally received permission to leave the prison as a free man! Just outside of the Evin Prison facility, his elated family members joyfully greeted him. Joining in this momentous event was Mehdi Rokhparvar, a fellow Iranian believer who had formerly been imprisoned because of his faith but released last year.

Praise God that these imprisoned believers have been released from custody! Pray that the court officials will likewise respond impartially when hearing the cases of other innocent Christians who are serving time in various prisons across this Middle Eastern nation. May these presently incarcerated followers of Jesus be safely released as well. In general, please continue to pray for the ongoing ministry of all our Iranian brothers and sisters in Christ as they courageously reach out to those around them with God's love – seizing opportunities to speak of the blessed hope and joyous spiritual freedom that are readily available through faith in Jesus.

  • 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

  • Retrial Denied for Imprisoned Believer
    Mehran
    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.)

  • Over 50 Arrested Christians Accused of Espionage
    A map of Iran has several labels, all showing where Christians were arrested since June 24, 2025.
    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."

  • Convicted Christian Deported and Arrested
    Mehran
    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.)

  • Laleh Saati Receives Conditional Release
    A smiling Laleh is outside, and the sun is shining on her face. A tree is in the background.
    Laleh Saati
    Photo: Article18

    Laleh Saati is a Christian convert and former asylum-seeker who was incarcerated in February 2024 and sentenced to two years in prison. (For more information on the imprisonment of this 46-year-old Iranian follower of Jesus, visit this page.) Throughout Laleh's time in custody, concerns have been raised about her physical health and psychological well-being. Most recently, it was reported that the Christian woman was denied needed medical treatment for a hand injury that had occurred as a result of a fall.