"What is the situation for Christians today in Iran?" I ask an employee of our partner organization, David, during a video meeting. With this question, I aim to unfold the persecution situation in the country, but to my surprise, David first of all points out the joy of faith in Jesus: "We have never seen so much openness. Many people are turning to Jesus these years," says David.
"Finding faith and truth is a great relief for these people." He explains: "Many say: 'For many years we have been told who God is. But now we get to find out who he really is'. Jesus says in John 8:32: 'You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free'. Knowing the living God is very valuable. In Islam, they did not know God personally, but tried to please him, hoping that one day he would save them. In meeting the Christian God, they are allowed to enter into a relationship with him, they can communicate with him, and ultimately they are sure of salvation - of eternity. They fall in love with the Lord."
"Of course they have their challenges and ups and downs," David adds, "but one of the reasons the church is growing is that when people meet Jesus, they fall in love. They love Jesus. They want to tell others about him and let other people know him. They haven't just changed their worldview, they've met Christ."
Government persecution doesn't stop Christians from sharing their faith
The church in Iran is growing, despite the fact that persecution from the authorities is still very strong, David reports. Iran has been an Islamic Republic since the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the government is actively trying to defend Islam. "The government wants to maintain a pure faith and protect the revolution. They don't care about the salvation of people, but they seek to defend the honor of Islam. This is not a spiritual motivation, but a matter of honor," explains David from our project partner Elam. 
"According to the constitution there is freedom of religion, but in practice you don't have this right. You are allowed to follow the faith you were born into, but it's not legal to convert," says David, citing a number of examples of how the authorities try to enforce this practice: "The government tries to control and stop church growth by trying to get key people in the church to leave the country. As a converted Christian, you can risk losing your job, as most businesses receive public support. And ultimately, you can risk imprisonment if you are caught evangelizing. Christians must therefore be careful and meet secretly."
You are allowed to follow the faith you were born into, but it is not legal to convert - David
"But that doesn't stop Christians from sharing their faith," David emphasizes. "Every day all over Iran, people are sharing the gospel. Thousands of Christians share their faith every day. Just last month alone, 5,000 New Testaments were distributed through evangelism, given one to one," he says.
Christians are less likely to face persecution from family and friends
While there is a fear of the authorities among Christian converts, they rarely face opposition from family and friends because of their faith. "Ordinary people are less and less likely to persecute Christians compared to 25 years ago. We rarely hear of people being persecuted by their family when they convert," says David. "On the contrary, our experience is that there are often other family members who come to faith when a family member becomes a Christian."
The reason for this development, according to David, is Iranian dissatisfaction with the regime. He explains: "The reality is that 42 years after the Islamic Revolution, more and more people are tired of the government and the regime. Iran is a theocracy, which means that the leaders of the country are also the religious leaders. So when things go wrong, the government is blamed, and when the government is also the religious leaders - lying, cheating, taking money from the banks, making deals with China, isolating themselves from the rest of the world - people distance themselves from Islam. They have seen the emptiness of Islam and are therefore disillusioned."
"We experience the power of God. We've never seen so much openness. Many people are turning to Jesus," David concludes, adding: "But what's really encouraging is that more people are able to teach others and help them grow in the midst of difficulties. Not only winning them to Christ, but also growing to build a healthy culture where everyone plays an important role."
"We have a desire that you will pray for discipleship. The big, real challenge is discipleship so that the church can grow strong and become a blessing to the rest of the world."
Facts: Smuggling new wills into Iran
In 2020 alone, Danish European Mission donors ensured that 23,000 copies of the New Testament could be printed and smuggled into Iran. An estimated 15 % of all recipients become Christians.
