The demonstrations began small in the final days of December 2025, triggered by merchants in Tehran's bazaar protesting the worsening economic situation. The demonstrations evolved into nationwide protests against the clerical regime, with many thousands participating.
As the protests grew, the regime chose to crack down hard on the demonstrators. The regime carried out massacres, in which several thousand died and were injured. The Iranian regime shut down the internet for several days, and little information emerged about the massacres. ”In addition to many deaths, many Iranian family members are experiencing the grief of being left behind or being relatives of the injured,” says one of Dansk Europamissions contacts regarding Iran. ”Iran as a country will never be the same again. Fewer and fewer support the regime, and it's as if a shift has occurred in the country's soul. The people have seen the regime order security forces to kill its own population.”
Wounded protesters were killed in hospitals
”The most traumatizing places were likely the hospitals. People go to the hospital to be healed, but there are many stories of injured protesters who were killed in hospitals by security forces.”
”A Christian I know helped a wounded protestor get to the hospital, but the authorities killed the wounded man when he arrived. Another person I know still has a bullet in his body from the protests, but he's afraid to go to the hospital to have it removed because he's afraid of being killed.”
”In the city of Rasht, very serious massacres took place. I heard from a source about an incident where security forces were searching for protesters. The protesters fled into their house, but the security forces set it on fire and shot the protesters as they tried to run out of the burning building. Security forces have been on top of the buildings, shooting at people with machine guns. There were rows of bodies; it was like a war zone.”
More Iranians are becoming Christians these days – even to the point of attending a funeral.
”In the midst of the traumatizing and extreme situation, the underground church has proven to be mature,” the contact says with joy in their voice.
”There is truly a mature church across the country that helps people, prays for people, and is there for people. It exists thanks to support from, among others, Danish European Mission's enhancers and givers. For example, an Iranian man lost his son during the protests. He was a neighbor to a Christian who had a house church in his home. The congregation decided to help during the funeral by making food and tea, which is very important in Iranian culture. The mourners asked, ”Why are you here?’ They replied, ’Because we are Christians.” Two of the relatives became Christians at the funeral. People are very searching and desire prayer. There is a great openness right now. The difference between light and darkness is so vast that many people are seeking Jesus.”
”Iranian Christians are taking to the streets and praying for people. Some Iranians no longer dare to go to the hospital, as they risk being shot, so instead, they turn to Jesus with their illnesses.”
”Christians have also reacted by holding prayer meetings and even all-night prayer vigils. There are examples of them inviting non-Christian family members, who had previously mocked them for their faith, and at the end of the prayer meetings, they asked the non-Christians how they themselves could become Christians. There are many such stories.”
Has the massacre intensified the backlash we've seen in Iran for several years, where people are seeking alternatives to the clergy's Islam? I ask. ”The backlash has only intensified, where people are seeking alternatives to Islam, not just in the Christian faith, but also in atheism and agnosticism.”
