Persecuted Church News: Mohabat News

Showing posts with label Mohabat News. Show all posts

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Good news for believers from Iran

Pastor Robert Asseriyan. (Photo courtesy Mohabat News)

Iran (VOM) ― Despite reports of crackdowns on Christians in Iran, there is one bright spot.

According to reports from Mohabat News and the Voice of the Martyrs USA, Pastor Robert Asseriyan, one of the leaders of the Assembly of God Church in Tehran, was released from prison. He had been arrested during a worship service at the church on May 21.

The Farsi services at the church--one of the last "building churches" that remained open in Iran--have been forcibly closed down by the police, according to Mohabat News.

It seems one of the conditions for Pastor Asseriyan's release was his silence, as authorities instructed him and his family not to be interviewed by the media or to make public statements about his arrest, his 43 days in prison, or conditions for his release. The status of the charges against him is unclear at this time.

Often in Iran, Christians are released from jail after making substantial bail payments, but the charges against them are never dropped. In this way, police can pick them up at any time in the future and can use the unresolved case against them to pressure them to cease Christian activities.

Please continue to pray for Pastor Asseriyan and his family. Pray also for other Christians who remain imprisoned in Iran. You can write letters of encouragement to several of them through the Prisoner Alert Web site.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Iran: Concern over health condition of Pastor Farhad Sabokroh in prison

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

AHWAZ, IRAN (ANS) -- Concern is growing in Iran over health condition of Pastor Farhad Sabokroh who was arrested together with two other Christian converts. They have now been in custody for over 40 days.

Pastor Farhad Sabokroh (From Mohabat News)

According to the Iranian Christian news agency, Mohabat News (www.mohabatnews.com), family, relatives and a wide range of Iranian Christians within and outside Iran expressed their concern over the health condition of Pastor Farhad Sabokroh, who was arrested on December 23, 2011, with others in attendance at the Christmas service of the Assemblies of God (AOG) church of Ahwaz, where he was pastoring.

According to this report, sources affirmed that Pastor Sabokroh, Naser Zamen-Defzuli and Davoud (David) Alijani were transferred to Karoun prison of Ahwaz. They have now been held in prison for over 40 days. They were arrested by security authorities in Ahwaz, (543 miles south west of Tehran, the Capital), which is in Khuzestan province.

“Prior to his arrest, Pastor Sabokroh was under treatment for cataract disease and underwent surgery but now has no access to a doctor,” a spokesperson for Mohabat News told the ASSIST News Service.

“Knowledgeable sources define his situation concerning this because, after the surgery, he needed to visit his doctor on a regular basis for the required medications. Now, with this situation, he is still not allowed to leave the prison after over 40 days to continue his treatment.”

Christian Prisoners' Rights Advocacy Club sent a report to Mohabat News expressing their deep concern and objection to illegal and inhuman acts by the Iranian Security system towards Iranian Christians, especially Pastor Sabokroh and the two other Christian prisoners who are being held with him.

Illustration from www.freedomessenger.com

They called on the Intelligence and Judicial systems of Iran to free them immediately and grant Christian prisoners their legal and human rights. This organization also considers the continuation of Pastor Sabokroh's medical treatment as his human right and adjudged the authorities as directly responsible for the health and welfare of Christian prisoners.

Pastor Sabokroh’s wife was allowed to visit him briefly on January 27, 2012, and expressed concern over his health condition.

"It's being said that he spends most of his time in prayer and fasting in his cell. His physical situation is extremely bad and he has lost weight. He also asked all Iranian Christians to pray for the release of Christian prisoners," added the Mohabat News spokesperson.

“It should be remembered that Mrs. Shanaz Jeizan, the wife of Pastor Sabokroh was also among those arrested at Christmas in the AOG church of Ahwaz. After 10 days, she was temporarily released from the Intelligence office of Ahwaz after submitting a house title deed as bail."

According to this report, no news is available regarding the condition of the two other prisoners, Davoud Alijani and Naser Zamen-Dezfuli. They're still being held in uncertainty and without being formally charged.”

The reports also indicate that Noorollah Qabitizade, another Christian convert who was arrested on December, 24, 2010, is still being held in Karoun prison of Ahwaz.

“He was subjected to severe interrogations by Intelligence officers from the time of his arrest,” added the spokesperson. “It is being reported that security authorities and interrogators have put him under different mental pressures including forcing him to sign commitments stating that he won't participate in any evangelical activities and to write repentance notes renouncing Christianity, in order to make him discontinue his faith in Christ.”

Dan Wooding, 71, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 48 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He now hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on KWVE in Southern California which is also carried throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK and also in Belize and South Africa. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 192 countries and also provides a regular commentary for Worship Life Radio on KWVE. You can follow Dan Wooding on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. He is the author of some 44 books, one of which is his autobiography, “From Tabloid to Truth”, which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available this link.

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Growing concern over condition of four detainees arrested at AOG church in Iran

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

AHWAZ, IRAN (ANS) -- Following an attack on the Assemblies of God Church of Ahwaz, which resulted in the arrest of a number of Christians and their children, concerns are growing over the conditions of four of these detainees.

According to reporters of Iranian Christian News Agency, Mohabat News, www.mohabatnews.com , concerns are growing over the unknown conditions of four of the people arrested during the attack on the AOG church of Ahwaz which took place almost one week ago.

Christian detainees from the AOG Church in Ahwaz, Iran (Courtesy: Mohabat News).

Mohabat News says the detainees include Farhad Sabokroh, the Pastor of the AOG church of Ahwaz, his wife Shahnaz and two other ministers and converts called Naser Zamen-Dezfuli and Davoud Alijani, who is also called David. No reliable information is available regarding their health and conditions in the places where they are being held.

According to Mohabat News, at 11 A.M. on Friday, December 23, security agents of the intelligence ministry raided the AOG church of Ahwaz in a pre-organized manner. All attendees at the weekly service were arrested and transferred by bus to an unknown location.

This report indicates that the security agents, whose faces were covered, showed no mercy to the Sunday school children of the church, apprehending them together with their parents who were present at the church. This incident has caused serious mental injury to these children.

After some hours all detainees were freed once their personal details such as home addresses were recorded, the news agency said.

However, four of the detainees named above, are still being held. The latest report on their condition indicates that Farhad Sabokroh and his wife suffer from varicose veins and their general health condition is not good. They were held in custody in the intelligence office until December 28 and were then separated and transferred to unknown locations and the news agency has received no further update concerning them.

The other two detainees are Naser Zamen-Dezfuli who is about 60 years of age and Davoud (David) Alijani who is 30. Before being arrested, Zamen-Dezfuli had his own business and Alijani was an engineer at a petrochemical site in Mahshahr port. After accepting Christ and applying Christian faith in his life, David was threatened and interrogated several times and was eventually fired from his engineering position.

Mohabat News says the health conditions, whereabouts and fate of these Christians are unknown, but it has been rumored that they might still be in the custody center of the intelligence office of Ahwaz or may have been transferred to Karoon prison of Ahwaz. Their families' efforts to obtain news concerning their whereabouts have yielded no information as yet.

Mohabat News commented: “This lack of news about their situation has resulted in a wave of anxiety among Christians, the detainees' families and especially the leaders of the churches in Iran. It's also being reported that the Ministry of Intelligence has even asked the leaders of the AOG church in Iran to not take any action in this regard.

“We hope that in this Christmas season, which involves celebrations and joy for our Savior's birthday, arrangements for the release of these Christians can be made and they will be released as soon as possible.”

Intense control over churches by security authorities
Mohabat News said this year, December 25, Christmas Day was on Sunday and Sundays are work-days in Iran.

“So, Iranian Christians gathered in churches on Friday, December 23 to celebrate Christmas, give thanks to God and worship their Lord, as Friday is a weekend day in Islamic countries.”

The agency goes on to say that based on the reports received by Mohabat News, agents of the intelligence office of Ahwaz predicted that large number of people might gather in the church on this date. Therefore they watched all traffic to the church on December 22. Then they attacked the church right at the time of celebration and arrested all attendees.

The agency added: “It is being said that one of the reasons for this attack by security agents was that the church leaders had neglected the warnings and orders of the Ministry of Intelligence which watches closely over the congregations and members of the official churches. Each month this ministry also summons the church leaders and gives them instructions which they are obliged to observe in their churches.”

Mohabat News explained that Article 13 of the Iranian constitution clearly states that Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians are the only recognized religious minorities in Iran.

“They are free to practice their faith within the limits of the law and are allowed to act according to their own canons regarding personal matters and religious education,” the agency stated.

“Although this attack by security and judicial authorities of Islamic regime of Iran contravenes the constitution and is considered interference in church affairs, it seems that the Islamic Republic doesn't fear or worry in this regard as it used to do.

“It seems that the attack on the AOG church of Ahwaz by security and intelligence agents on December 23 and the arrest of a number of church members occurred due to the broad and increasing interest in Christmas celebrations at the church by guests and new believers. Apparently the leaders of this church had not given sufficient credit to the warnings by the Ministry of Intelligence,” the agency said.

“It is noteworthy that official churches are under close scrutiny by security agents to the extent that in some of these churches, the church leaders or caretakers prevent visitors from entering the church building or refer them to the office of Islamic Guidance in order to receive a permit to enter the church by providing their personal information to the authorities!”

Mohabat News concluded: “We need to mention here that harassment and discrimination against religious minorities has been a major issue that has been violated by the Islamic regime of Iran.”

** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.

Iran: Temporary release of a detainee, arrested at Christmas in Church of Ahwaz

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

AHWAZ, IRAN (ANS) -- Following an attack by security authorities on the Assemblies of God (AOG) church of Ahwaz, which resulted in the arrest of the pastor of the church and three other ministers including the pastor's wife, Mrs. Shahnaz Jeizan has now been temporarily released after providing bail.

Mrs. Shahnaz Jeizan

According to reporters of the Iranian Christian News Agency, Mohabat News

(www.mohabatnews.com), Mrs. Shahnaz Jeizan, Pastor Farhad Sabokroh's wife was temporarily released on bail on the first day of 2012 after 10 days in custody.

“She had been transferred to the custody center of the intelligence office of Ahwaz to be interrogated together with her husband and two other ministers of the church,” said the story.

Khuzestan province – Ahwaz

The temporary release of Pastor Sabokroh's wife took place shortly after Mohabat News published a series of articles on the internet regarding the concern of the Iranian Christian community over this incident and the unknown condition of these detainees.

Mrs. Jeizan was arrested during the attack on the AOG church of Ahwaz by security authorities on December 23, 2011. Everyone in attendance at the church including children were arrested during that raid as well.

Knowledgeable sources told Mohabat News that the whereabouts and conditions of Pastor Sabokroh and two ministers, Naser Zamen-Dezfuli and Davoud (David) Alijani, are still unknown.

“It should be remembered that when security authorities attacked the AOG church of Ahwaz on 23 December 2011, everyone in attendance at the weekly service were arrested and transferred to an unknown location by bus,” the story continued.

“Reports of the incident indicate that security authorities had their faces covered and treated the Sunday school children of the church badly as they arrested them. This deeply injured these children's minds.

“After some hours, most attendees who were arrested at the Christmas celebrations were freed but their personal information including addresses were recorded by security officials.”

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Iranian Christian News Agency Exposes Unsubstantiated claim of Security Authorities Regarding Evangelical Activities by AOG Church

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

TEHRAN, IRAN (ANS) -- Exaggerating has become a habit of news providers for government-supported and regime-dependent media in Iran who introduce themselves as hidden soldiers, says Mohabat News (www.mohabatnews.com ) the Iranian Christian News Agency.

The inside of the Assemblies of God church of Markaz in Tehran. (Photo courtesy Mohabat News).

The news agency says that an unsubstantiated report about evangelistic activities of the Assemblies of God church of Markaz in Tehran “was obviously written by one of the hidden soldiers of the 12th Imam (Secret Security authorities) to motivate senior security authorities. It also appears that this shabby act was intended to spark anti-Christian feelings within Iran.”

MohabatNews says Iranian security services, through state-sponsored media outlets, “have claimed that the Markaz Church, an Assemblies of God church in Tehran, is extremely active in propagation and sending evangelical Christian groups throughout the country to attract Muslim youth to Christianity.”

The state-sponsored news media websites say: "The congregation of the Church of Markaz are Christian extremists who use various ways to bring members to their church and to convert Iranian Muslim youth.

They try to destroy the image of the sacred regime of Iran in the world. They deceive young people who are financially in need by promising to grant them refugee status in other countries." Mohabat News says the websites also report that these evangelists, with the support of American mass media, want to show a negative image of the Islamic republic to the international community.

Mohabat News stated: “But making such repeated claims by the staff of government-sponsored media is more like a report to the security authorities and organizations rather than a piece of news. Such action seems to have an unstated purpose behind it.

“Presentations of this kind of biased news about Christianity and Iranian Christians has taken place at the same time as the Supreme Leader, scholars and Islamic clerics -- as well as senior authorities and staff of the Revolutionary Guards and other security and intelligence forces -- are making serious efforts to oppose Christianity in Iran.”

Mohabat News went on to say: “These unsubstantiated and misleading claims about the activities of churches to attract Muslim youth to Christianity are being made at time when government, religious and security authorities have become particularly sensitive on such issues. The churches don't consider it necessary to take such actions to invite Muslim youth to Christianity!

“Meanwhile, as a result of the increasing awareness of Iranian citizens following the establishment of the pure Islamic government and in spite of threats, torture, beatings, imprisonments and executions, Iranian youth are turning from Islam in large numbers and seeking to base their lives and religious beliefs on their own investigation.”

From closure of churches to shutting down of worship services of Farsi-speaking Christians

Despite all the pressures and threats by the regime, the movement to Christianity in Iran has grown to the extent that some (generally Farsi-speaking) churches in some cities were closed and locked by the security forces, Mohabat News reports.

“In the other churches that were not closed, these forces prevented Farsi-speaking Christians (mainly Christian converts) from entering. The Assyrian church of Shahr-Ara in Tehran is an example of this. Farsi-speaking Christians formed a large number of its congregation before security forces with the cooperation of the representative of the Assyrians in the Islamic parliament (Majles-e-shoraye-eslami), dismissed the pastor of the church and cancelled the Farsi worship services there.”

In another case and prior to this incident, there were routine Farsi church services being held in the AOG church of Markaz in Tehran, but on Friday, October 30, 2009 security authorities threatened the church leaders and cancelled the Friday evening services which were being held in two services because of the huge number of attendees.

However, says Mohabat News, these restrictions have made every believer's house into a church and have caused the regime to be afraid of the house church movement and active churches. The authorities also seem to be afraid of historical churches which have become historical monuments and belong to the history of the country.

Mohabat News added: “The destruction of the historical church in the city of Kerman didn't cause an outcry from any Iranian authorities, not even the voice of the spineless representatives for religious minorities in the Islamic parliament of Iran. These are all examples of the attitude of the regime towards Iranian Christians and their places of worship.”

Spying on the activities of the churches
According to Mohabat News, “The dear person who writes such reports about the activities of the AOG church of Tehran and raises such claims, knows very well that all church activities, programs and services in Iran and, in this case the AOG church of Tehran, are under careful observation by security and intelligence agents.

“Though the writer of this article comes from the same church, it is well known that all the efforts and activities of the leadership of the AOG church of Tehran have always been according to the word of God which says: ‘Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right." (1 Peter 2:13-14).

A church is not like a mosque in receiving government funding
Mohabat News goes on to say: “It's been claimed that the AOG church in Iran is taking advantage of the poverty of jobless youth, especially those who lack sufficient funds to get married and deceives those who are weak in their Islamic faith.

“The purpose of this claim is not clear. However, the churches of Iran don't receive any kind of government support. All their funding comes from their congregations and believers who want to give to God and ministries in the form of tithes and offerings. In a situation where churches are facing financial challenges to even repair the church building, how could they support the youth in matters of marriage, employment and financial problems? Is it possible that such ideas come from the way mosques are managed since they receive huge amounts of money from government only to bring people to the prayer sessions? Allocation of a budget of $50 million USD to the mosque of Jamkaran only to develop its facilities to attract more people to the mosques, or huge funding of the Revolutionary Guards (Sepah-e-Pasdaran) to build mosques in Europe, are some of the examples of the major investment of the Iranian regime in propagating Islam.”

Mohabat News asks: “Isn't it true that all these attempts have failed to satisfy the spiritual needs of young people and to release them from their financial and social challenges?”

Seminary scholars complaining about the tendency of the youth toward Christianity
Despite three decades of effort and millions of dollars of investments to support the propagation of Islam, the regime feels it must use force, fear and threats to oppose Christianity, Mohabat News stated.

“It is interesting that all these attempts have been ineffective and the seminary scholars are complaining day and night about the drift of youth to Christianity. (Mohabat News has discussed this matter in detail in previous articles).

Mohabat News said: “The distaste of Iranian youth for Islam is a troubling reality that religious and government authorities are aware of and acknowledge. Their speeches and the actions of security authorities to crack down on Christians are also a clear confirmation of this fact.”

It adds: “The unsubstantiated report on the evangelistic activities of the Assemblies of God church of Markaz in Tehran was obviously written by one of the hidden soldiers of the 12th Imam (Secret Security authorities) to motivate the security authorities. It appears that this shabby act was intended to spark anti-Christian feelings within Iran. Without any reasoning, it seems that the author of the report is trying to influence the authorities of the regime and to show his loyalty towards the regime.”

Mohabat News concludes: “Such claims have been published over and over in media supported by the regime. They also mentioned other subjects, including distribution of books and flyers, etc., but Mohabat News does not consider it necessary to mention them here in view of the length of the article.”

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Islamic Republic daily Denies Tendency to Christianity among Iranian Youth!

Reports of Revolutionary Guards turning to Christianity or are seriously investigating the Christian faith

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

TEHRAN, IRAN (ANS) -- Following a report by Iranian Christian News Agency, Mohabat News (http://mohabatnews.com) concerning the spread of Christianity among Iranian youth, the government supported daily, Jomhouri-e-Eslami (Islamic Republic) has reacted by saying that the report is a claim made by the “Western political clique!”

The battle between the cross and the press in Iran
(Photo: Mohabat News)

The Tehran-based daily Jomhouri-e-Eslami (meaning Republic of Islam) claimed, “While western media keep reporting that people in Europe and America are converting to Islam, the agents of western political cliques claim that Iranian youth show a sincere interest in Christianity. These claims are being made to cover up the fact that western people are coming towards Islam.”

This government supported daily also said in another part of its article that, “A person who introduced himself as the spokesman of the Iranian church of Europe said in an interview with a Farsi website that Iranian youth are learning about Christianity through the Internet and Christian Television Channels. He even claimed that people in the religious cities of Qom and Mashhad are showing more interest in Christianity than people in other cities.”

A portion of an article published on Sunday, November 6, 2011 by Mohabat News states “The broad range of Iranian people [are] watching Christian television programs or accessing Christian websites, in addition to the number of contacts that people, especially from religious cities of Iran, make with Christian media, shows nothing but a growing interest of Iranian people in converting to Christianity.”

A spokesperson for Mohabat News said, “Obviously, the editor in chief and writers for Jomhouri-e-Eslami are willing to close their eyes to this clear fact and are seeking to portray an image of Iranian society from their own preconceptions and impressions. It’s completely understandable that they publish stories prepared by people who are more interested in their salaries than a desire to report facts.

“This prompt and immature reaction of Jomhouri-e-Eslami reflects a nervousness among the writers and leaders of the media who serve the regime. They do not accept Iranian society as it now is.

“However, the word of God clearly says ‘Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)”.

An Iranian Christian being punished for his faith

The spokesperson went on to say, “Some pro-regime news media quote Jomhouri-e-Eslami daily in reporting that nothing is going on in the religious cities and that all reports to the contrary are only rumors, but the domestic media, judicial and security authorities and Islamic clerics tell a different story.

“Contradictions among government supported media are not hidden from anyone. According to Jomhouri-e-Eslami, two weeks ago, Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani, Chairman of the Council of Guardians and considered one of the main pillars of the Regime before the controversial election in 2009, seriously warned the authorities about the turning of Iranian youth away from Islam. He asked all the wise men and clerics to make serious efforts to prevent this trend in society from spreading and to do a better job in this area!

“The Jomhouri-e-Eslami daily is calling the spread of Christianity a rumor while on Saturday, 2 October 2011 the government supported news website, Javan-Online (backed by the Revolutionary Guards) acknowledged the tendency of society towards Christianity and also reported that the number of house churches in the religious city of Mashhad is growing. Javan-Online reported that two hundred churches have been discovered in Mashhad in a period of months.

“More importantly, the movement of Iranian youth to Christianity has even penetrated and spread among children and families of high authorities of the regime. Certainly, the publishers of Jomhouri-e-Eslami remember how news of the conversion to Christianity of a son of one of Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi’s assistants shook both the foreign and domestic media.

“The anxiety over the increasing spread of Christianity among Iranian youth has grown to the extent that even Ayatollah Vahid Khorasani, a well-known religious guidance source in the Islamic regime, complained about this situation during a meeting with seminary students and Islamic clerics of the grand mosque of Qom. He warned about statistical evidence reflecting this tendency of youth toward Christianity even in the city of Qom.”

The spokesperson then added, “Beyond all these reports, anxiety over the growth of house churches has even affected speeches of the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei and has become one of his concerns. This worry caused him to make an unsolicited confession during a speech in the city of Qom some time ago. He said that ‘the purpose of the “enemies of Islam” is to weaken our religion in society by spreading false mysticism, the Baha'i faith and house churches’.

“The Jomhouri-e-Eslami daily must know there are many more acknowledgments of the growth of Christianity by Ayatollahs and security authorities of the regime. They have no option but to accept it. Heydar Moslehi (Head of the Ministry of Intelligence) made a remarkable statement in this regard in a meeting with the heads of education of Iran. He warned them about the spread of Christianity in schools and among students and called it “one of the elements of the ‘soft war’ against Islam”.

“In this connection, we can point to various acknowledgments including statements by Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi Mesbah Yazdi about the spread of Christianity in some provinces of Iran. Ayatollah Sobhani spoke of the conversion of 600 people to Christianity in the city of Neishabour.

“A specialist on religious issues also warned about the increasing interest of Iranian citizens in Christianity and their determination to obtain a copy of Bible in spite of all the prohibitions against the publication and distribution of Christian books inside Iran.

“These quotations and statistics are not provided by a Christian news website but are excerpts from speeches of high level religious and non-religious authorities of Iran. These people serve in senior positions in the Iranian theocracy and play a significant role in the regime. These quotes are from people who know very well what is taking place in the country. The result of all these acknowledgments or confessions today is nothing but enthusiasm among the people of Iran for gaining access to the truth that is found in the words of the Gospel.”

Information available to Mohabat News indicates that the pace and scope of the spread of Christianity in Iran is so “fast and broad” that “even among members of the armed forces and the Pasdaran Army (the Revolutionary Guards) many have turned to Christianity or are seriously investigating the Christian faith.”

Dan Wooding, 70, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 48 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He now hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on KWVE in Southern California which is also carried throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK and also in Belize and South Africa. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 200 countries and also provides a regular commentary for Worship Life Radio on KWVE. You can follow Dan Wooding on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. He is the author of some 44 books. Two of the latest include his autobiography, “From Tabloid to Truth”, which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available this link.

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.