Christians in Iran Face Persecution, Death Sentences: 'Leading Many People on Death Row to the Lord'

JERUSALEM, Israel  – After a recent meeting with Qatar's prime minister this week, President Trump declared that Iran no longer controls the Strait of Hormuz, and that momentum is building toward an end to the conflict. This result would mean an unfulfilled hope for millions of Iranians.

CBN News spoke with Hormuz Shariat, founder of Iran Alive Ministries, before the U.S. midterms. He told us that Iran's leaders hoped that elections would weaken the president and bring the war to an end, adding that many Iranians wanted a different outcome.

“But the hope of the Iranian people, in any way possible, (is that) this regime falls down. They support it. Israel's attack, they support it. The U.S. attack, they support it. Why? Because they're hoping that the government will change."

With the regime still in power, Iranians are struggling under a weak economy and would risk their lives in any protests.

“They were hoping that the government would collapse with the war, with the attack of Israel and Trump, but it hasn't. So they have no other choice. If they come on the streets, they protest, they will be killed. And life is miserable," Shariat insisted.

He notes that this includes Christians.

“Believers are not doing well," he revealed. "The economy's really bad. Of course, in our ministry we are helping financially. We have a campaign to help the persecuted and those who are being killed – 131 of our people that we knew, connected to our ministry – they were arrested. Thirty-one were killed in January, and fourteen of them are in jail. Most of them are on death row."

He continued, "So Christians...have double pressure: (the) economy, but also persecution by the government, and we need to pray for them.”

Despite pressure and persecution, Shariat sees believers still sharing their faith.

He observed, “There is a supernatural grace on Iranian people. Under persecution, they don't lose their faith, and even in danger.  I'm so inspired by them.”

Shariat mentioned one believer on death row.

“We get reports by his family, who visits them," he reported. 'Say, how is he doing?' 'He could be killed any day.'  He said, 'He is so up.' He says, 'If I die, I go with, to meet Jesus.' And people around him, they say, 'How come you have so much peace?' He said, 'Because of Jesus.' So he's leading many people on death row to the Lord.”

Shariat has a message to the Church in the West.

“Of course, you have to watch out what God is doing around the world. That's, again, watchfulness. And in Iran, there's a historical moment to Iran's destiny will change towards Christianity. Of course, we know the end result, Jeremiah 49:38, that God will set His throne there. So, being aware (of what God is doing in Iran and (supporting) it.”