Judiciary News Agency Reporter Converts to Christianity

Mahdi Dehqan, former economic editor of Mizan news agency, affiliated with Iran’s judiciary, converted to Christianity yesterday by undergoing baptism.

According to a report by Voice of Christians in Iran correspondent, Mahdi Dehqan, who was forced to leave Iran following increased security pressures and threats, officially converted to Christianity yesterday by undergoing baptism at one of the churches in Germany.
Mahdi Dehqan has a background of work in newspapers such as Shargh, Taadol, and Tehran Today, as well as news agencies IRNA and Mehr.

Dehqan, in an interview with Voice of Christians in Iran correspondent, said: “Sunday was a day when I was born again through baptism.”

Referring to the fact that Christian faith brings peace, tranquility, and friendship, he added: “I studied sections of the Bible with the help of a priest and Christian theology students. In one part of the Bible, it is written: love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat and persecute you. If all countries in the world followed this principle, we would witness a peaceful world.”

The former economic editor of Mizan news agency stated: “The second beautiful verse of the Bible is not to be childish in understanding, but to be childish in doing evil. Rather, be mature in understanding. I hope this verse receives the attention of some Iranian officials.”

Dehqan added: “Those who have lived in Muslim countries well understand peace, tranquility, friendship, and freedom in Christianity.”

He continued: “When I lived in Iran, due to the harassment, violence, disturbances, and restrictions I experienced from Muslims and the Islamic government, and the complete understanding I gained of Islam’s true face in Qom, I preferred to have no religion at all, but I did not dare to express it because if they had mercy on my life, the least consequence would have been unemployment or imprisonment.”

This economic reporter said: “When I started working at Mizan news agency, I never discussed religious beliefs, but employees had to maintain a religious appearance. For example, women were required to wear chadors and men could not wear jeans. Of course, I also discovered that the slaughterer of Mizan’s CEO consumed alcoholic beverages, and the reason was that I was acquainted with the place where he obtained alcoholic drinks.”

Stating that Muslims only claim to be good and perfect, he said: “I cannot understand this much resistance to understanding from some people. In Iran, I always heard a clichéd phrase that Islam is good, it’s just not properly implemented. But the truth is that a religion that is not properly implemented is itself the biggest problem and flaw.”

He added: “Unfortunately, over the past years, people’s behavior and beliefs have been manipulated in such a way that today, even if people want to think contrary to their beliefs, they feel fear and guilt.”

Islam like a tea bag forced down the throats of youth

This economic reporter, stating that Islam and Iran’s Islamic government can be summarized in a few words—violence, war, sex, and money—added: “Islamic Iran tries to present a calm and positive image of itself to the world, but official and unofficial statistics and this government’s behavior towards its people tell a different story. Today in Iran, Islam is forcefully pushed down people’s throats like a tea bag, some have developed stomach ulcers and become sour, some people’s stomachs have become accustomed to it, and if anyone protests or objects to this matter, the consequence will be execution, imprisonment, and ruin of life.”

He said: “When I was a reporter in Qom for two years, I attended a session with Mohammad Saidi, the custodian of the shrine also known as ‘Ya Ali,’ where two issues were raised. First was young women sock sellers around the shrine who were actually engaged in prostitution under the guise of selling socks, and the second was the increase in atheism among youth or directing them towards Christianity. Of course, this issue was also raised at the seminary teachers’ council where Kaabi and Ahmad Khatami were also present, but reporters were not allowed to report on its outcomes.”

He continued: “In that session, Saidi, criticizing the increasing number of youth and their direction towards Christianity, especially in the north of the country, said we need to address this issue, and also women sock sellers around the shrine are actually engaged in prostitution and their presence around the shrine is not befitting.”

Dehqan said: “It seems the Islamic government has addressed this issue, an example of which is the increase in arrests, executions, and harassment of people due to their religious beliefs, while according to published statistics, Iran ranks ninth globally in suppressing Christians.”

He added: “Also, on one hand, house churches in Iran, especially in Karaj, are increasing, while on the other hand, security and law enforcement agencies are seeking to close churches and arrest Christian preachers and converts.”

The former secretary of the judiciary-affiliated news agency emphasized: “The speed of executions and arrests of Iranian citizens due to their religious beliefs has increased in recent months, examples of which include the execution of 20 Kurdish Sunnis or the arrest of three Christian citizens from the Republic of Azerbaijan who participated in a house church in Karaj along with 10 Iranian Christians.”

Islam is the religion of interference in people’s lives

Stating that Islam is a religion of interference in people’s lives, violence, and destruction, he added: “Today, Iran’s religious leaders allow themselves to impose one version of Islam on all Muslim and non-Muslim people of Iran and even interfere in the smallest personal matters of people.”

He said: “In every country where Islam has entered, we have witnessed unfortunate consequences, and to verify this statement, one can observe the situation and plight of Muslim countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Syria, etc.”

Dehqan, raising the question of why millions of Iranian citizens should be forced to leave their homeland due to religious issues, added: “After thousands of years, we still have to witness the repetition of historical mistakes due to unfounded bigotry. In hope of a day when no one, consciously or unconsciously, resists understanding.”

Source: VOCIR