Iran Two Christian Men Rearrested

3/7/2025   (ICC)

Iranian authorities rearrested two Christian men, Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh and Joseph Shahbazian, at their respective homes on Feb. 6, and transferred them to the notorious Evin Prison.  Charges haven’t been formally announced and the reason for the arrests remains unknown. Both men, who are in their 60s, were previously imprisoned for their involvement in Christian house churches but had been released. Gol-Tapeh received a 10-year prison sentence in 2017 for “acting against national security through the formation and establishment of illegal house churches,” but received a pardon in 2022. That same year, Shahbazian was sentenced to two years in prison for being involved in a Christian house church, and was pardoned in 2023 after serving a little over a year in jail. Persecution and targeting of Christians for their faith remains ongoing in Iran. Still, reports indicate that Iran might have the fastest growing Church in the world as many Iranians are becoming Christians.

Please pray…

• Praise the Lord for the hundreds of thousands of Iranian who have become Christians in recent years, many after seeing dreams and visions of Jesus.

• Pray that the Lord will encourage Nasser and Joseph, and the many other Iranians who are in prison for their faith.

• Pray that the Lord will comfort and encourage the families of those whose loved ones are in prison for their faith and that He will continue to draw many more Iranians to Jesus.