Four Christian men were detained on April 19th in separate raids throughout Dezful in southwestern Iran. They have been identified as Ismail Narimanpour, Mohammad Ali Torabi, Alireza Vark Shah and Hojjat Lotfi Khalaf.
While in custody, the men were reportedly beaten and questioned about their political beliefs. They were asked about their opinions on the Islamic Revolution and whether they would be participating in upcoming presidential elections. On April 21st, after signing an agreement to immediately report to the Intelligence Office when summoned, the men were temporarily released. It is believed that they had not been incarcerated because of the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Iranian prisons.
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada will be co-hosting a free webinar featuring Dr. Hormoz Shariat of Iran Alive Ministries on the evening of May 27th, providing you and others of your church an opportunity to learn more about what God is powerfully accomplishing throughout Iran, even in the midst of the global pandemic and political oppression. For more details about this upcoming webinar and to register, click here.
Continue to remember these Iranian Christians and others in your prayers, as they boldly persist in spreading the Gospel throughout their nation, despite the opposition they encounter. Pray for the spiritual and physical well-being of all those currently detained for their faith in Christ, asking the Lord to protect, comfort and strengthen them. May He give His followers in Iran the courage to stand firm in their beliefs, even when suffering for Christ.