Property Belonging to a Church ‘Confiscated’ by the ‘Imam’s Executive Headquarters’

The website of the “Christian Organization Article 18” states that a property belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Iran was confiscated last week by the “Imam’s Executive Headquarters” (Setad).

According to this report, on Wednesday, the 16th of Esfand, officials from the “Imam’s Executive Headquarters” set a three-day deadline for the evacuation of “Sharon Garden,” which is a church property belonging to the Council of Churches of Jesus Christ of Iran.

The Third Branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, in a ruling issued earlier on the 13th of Tir in 1394 (2015), accused the Council of Churches of Jesus Christ of Iran of connections with the “CIA intelligence organization” and issued an order to confiscate a garden in favor of the “Imam’s Executive Headquarters.”

Sharon Garden, belonging to the Council of Churches of Jesus Christ of Iran, was purchased in the early 1350s (1970s). This council was first officially registered as a religious institution in Iran in 1353 (1974) and again after the revolution in 1358 (1979).

Sharon Garden is located in the vicinity of Karaj and, according to the website “Christian Organization Article 18,” this property is currently valued at approximately three million dollars.

It is reported that the aforementioned garden was used as a venue for church camps by various branches of the Church of Jesus Christ of Iran.

As reported by Organization Article 18, the ruling issued by the revolutionary court stated: “The Council of the Church of Jesus Christ of Iran is one of the branches of the Philadelphia Church of America, which was established with American funding and through the CIA intelligence organization to infiltrate Islamic countries, especially Iran, and to engage in missionary activities.”

In recent months, several evangelical (missionary) Christians have been sentenced to long-term imprisonment. In many cases, these individuals have been charged with “actions against national security through launching and participating in house churches.”

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran expressed concern in recent months regarding the persecution of Christians in Iran, citing lengthy prison sentences for several young Christian converts within less than two months.

Since the triumph of the Islamic Revolution in February 1979, at least six church leaders in Iran have been killed, and hundreds of Christians have been interrogated and imprisoned. Furthermore, the printing of the Christian Bible in the Persian language has been banned, some churches have been closed, and church services in the Persian language have been prevented.

In an interview with Kiavash Alizadeh, spokesman for the “Christian Organization Article 18″ regarding the defense of the rights of Christians in Iran, I first asked him about the reason for the confiscation of this property.

Source: Radio Farda