The Parish Magazine February 2026

parish noticeboard — 6
The current protests in the streets
of Iran can be linked to the death
in police custody of Mahsa Amini
(illustrated right centre) in
September 2022
She had been arrested for allegedly
violating mandatory hijab law by
wearing her hijab 'improperly'.
Female protesters have played a
key role in the demonstrations.
Protests spread throughout Iran
and the government responded with
internet blackouts, restrictions on
social media usage, tear gas, and
gunfire.
At least 3,428 (as on 14 January)
people had been killed as a result
of the Iranian government’s
intervention, according to the NGO
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO).
In 2019 protests resulted in 1,500
being killed, and there had been
protests preceding these in 1999,
2009, and 2011-2012.
SAT-7 is a UK-based charity whose
vision is to see a growing Church in
the Middle East and North Africa.
At the time of the protests in the
aftermath of Amini’s death, SAT-7 in
its Persian TV channel reported the
comments of pastors in the Iranian
diaspora church.
They were tackling the question
of how should Iran’s Christians
respond?
Pastor Reza Sotoudeh said that
prayer is 'our foremost weapon, but
that was not a reason to be silent while
others cry out for change.'
He urged Christians to have
'proper care and attention' when they
read Biblical commands to obey state
authorities.
''We must not use Romans 13 to
create a licence to be silent before evil”,
he stressed.
Examining the teaching in this
chapter of Romans, he highlighted
verses 3 and 4:
'For rulers hold no terror for those
who do right but for those who do
wrong…Do what is right and you will be
commended.'
The pastor also gave examples of
God’s servants who chose to disobey
the authorities: Peter and John when
ordered not to teach in the name of
Jesus; Daniel refusing to obey the
pagan laws of Babylon; the Magi
ignoring Herod’s request to report
the whereabouts of the Messiah.
On the other hand, he added,
Christians should always follow the
way of Christ.
They are not to join in the cries of
'death to this or that person', he said,
alluding to the shouts being made on
the streets against Iran’s Ayatollah
Khameini.“
'As it says in Ephesians 6 verse 12,
our battle is not with human beings
who are flesh and blood; rather it is with
creatures that are invisible and rule the
invisible world', he explained.
He went on to say that we are
all encouraged to keep praying for
brothers and sisters in Iran which
is placed at number nine on Open
Doors’ World Watch List of the
countries where Christians are
persecuted the most.
Christians who have converted
from Islam are most vulnerable to
persecution and discrimination.
As well as the domestic unrest
described above, Iran’s ties with
The Parish Magazine — February 2026 13
Support and prayers asked for Iranian Christians
SAT-7
Mahsa Amini Tribute Mural By Lexi Bella,
NYC, NY, USA. Mural memorializing Mahsa
Amini located in the First Street Green
Cultural Park on Manhattan`s Lower East
Side.
The above photograph was taken in New
York City, New York, on 12 November 2022
by Erin Alexis Randolph, Dreamstime.com.
KEEP PRAYING
THE PERSECUTED CHURCH BY COLIN BAILEY
Cristian Valderas, Dreamstime.com
Hamas and Hezbollah have led to
ongoing tensions with Israel.
Israel and Iran continued to
exchange strikes in the conflict that
began in June 2025.
Despite the current events and
opposition, the church in Iran is
growing and the Gospel is spreading.
References and further reading
Wikipedia Mahsa Amini protests
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
SAT-7 !ran Protests: How Should
Iranian Christians Respond?:
https://www.sat7uk.org/iran-protestshow-should-iranian-christiansrespond/
BBC News article: Israel-Iran: How
did latest conflict start and where
could it lead?:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/
cdj9vj8glg2o
Open Doors World Watch List 2025:
Iran: https://www.opendoorsuk.org/
persecution/world-watch-list/iran/