Reverend Dr. Edward Hosseinian-Mehr, Distinguished Servant of the Iranian Church, Passed Away

The Persian-speaking Christian community has lost one of its most influential leaders, teachers, and shepherds today. Reverend Dr. Edward Hosseinian-Mehr, one of the most recognized leaders of the Iranian Church and senior pastor of the Iranian Church of North London, passed away this morning, Friday, June 26, 2026, corresponding to Tir 5, 1405, around 10 a.m. after decades of faithful service to the Lord, due to a heart attack, into the glorious presence of Jesus Christ. News of his death has plunged not only the Iranian Christian community, but Persian-speaking churches throughout the world into deep mourning; for many regarded him as a spiritual father, a distinguished teacher, and one of the pillars of the contemporary Iranian Church.

In a statement from the Iranian Church of North London, it was noted that today, the global Church has lost a father whose role in the formation, growth, and establishment of the Persian-speaking Church will forever remain a part of this church’s history. A humble servant, a compassionate shepherd, and a loving father who dedicated his entire life to serving the Lord and building the Church of Christ among Persian speakers; a legacy of faith, love, loyalty, and teaching that will remain in the hearts of thousands of believers.

Reverend Dr. Edward Hosseinian-Mehr entered Christian ministry from his youth and spent many years in the churches of the Assembly of God in Iran serving as a pastor, teaching the Bible, and educating a new generation of church servants. Many of today’s pastors, preachers, and leaders of Persian-speaking churches regard him as their teacher, advisor, and spiritual father. He was a tireless servant, a courageous evangelist, a compassionate shepherd, and a valued teacher who dedicated his life to preaching the gospel, teaching God’s Word, and building the Church of Christ.

Reverend Edward Hosseinian-Mehr’s name is also connected to one of the darkest chapters in the history of the contemporary Iranian Church. He was the brother of the late Bishop Haik Hosseinian-Mehr; a prominent leader of the Assembly of God Church who in 1994, after defending religious freedom and working to secure the release of Reverend Mehdi Dibaj, was kidnapped and martyred. A few days after Bishop Haik’s martyrdom, Reverend Mehdi Dibaj was also killed, and these two events were forever recorded in the historical memory of the Iranian Church.

Despite this great sorrow, Reverend Edward never abandoned his field of service. He not only bore the heavy burden of losing his brother, but continued his mission with the same faith and perseverance. Years later, following pressures, restrictions, and continued threats from the Islamic Republic against church leaders, he was forced to leave Iran and immigrate to Britain. But exile could not extinguish the flame of his service, and he founded the “Council of Aligned Churches.”

A council that today many Iranian churches throughout the world are members of, working toward unity, cooperation, and the solidarity of Persian-speaking churches. Many church leaders believe that one of the most enduring legacies of Reverend Hosseinian-Mehr was his tireless effort to create unity among Persian-speaking churches; a unity that he always considered essential to the growth and maturity of the Iranian Church.

He began a new chapter of his ministry in England. He took leadership of the Iranian Church of North London and with the same love and commitment, served thousands of Iranians in Europe, America, Canada, and other parts of the world through preaching, teaching, counseling, conferences, and Christian media. Many believers received their first deep biblical teachings from his messages and instruction.

Despite the continuous threats from the Islamic Republic, he fearlessly and without any compromise continued to serve his Savior Jesus Christ and His Church, never wavering from his divine calling. Those who worked with him for years remember him as a shepherd who never allowed pressures, threats, or life’s bitterness to diminish his love for people and his passion for the gospel.

His messages were always grounded in hope in Christ, faithfulness to God’s Word, living under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and perseverance in difficult times. He was not only a powerful preacher, but a patient listener, a compassionate counselor, and a spiritual father to different generations of Persian-speaking Christians; a figure from whom many young servants of the church drew guidance during difficult moments of ministry.

The death of Reverend Dr. Edward Hosseinian-Mehr has sparked widespread sorrow and messages of condolence among churches, Christian leaders, and Persian-speaking believers throughout the world. Many church servants have described him not only as a pastor, but as a spiritual father who generously devoted his life to serving the Lord and advancing the growth of the Iranian Church.

In one of the published messages it states: “The death of God’s saints is precious in His sight. Today the Iranian Church has lost Reverend Dr. Edward Hosseinian-Mehr, a devoted and zealous father who stood with all his strength for the Lord and his people, as well as for righteousness, unity, and harmony for many years and paid a heavy price. He was a symbol of unity for the Iranian churches. May the Lord grant His Church a compassionate and maternal heart. I pray that the comfort and peace of God that surpasses all understanding will comfort the heart of his beloved wife and children.”

This description reflects how many church leaders viewed Reverend Hosseinian-Mehr’s character; a servant who in the difficult years following the Islamic Revolution, both within Iran and in years of exile, constantly strived to preserve the unity, health, and growth of the Persian-speaking Church and never allowed divisions to overshadow the Church’s primary mission of preaching the gospel.

His loss was also a reminder to many Christians of the bitter days of the 1970s; years when the Islamic Republic escalated its pressure on church leaders. Only days after the anniversary of the martyrdom of Reverend Mehdi Dibaj had passed when news of Reverend Edward’s death was released; a matter that redoubled the sorrow of many believers.

One leader of a Persian-speaking church wrote in a message: “The loss of our dear Reverend Edward for all of us Christians is painful and grievous news. Days have not yet passed since the anniversary of the martyrdom of Reverend Mehdi Dibaj. In remembrance of the sorrow of Mehdi Dibaj’s martyrdom, this news truly adds to that pain. What comforts all of us is this: our dear brother Edward has returned to the bosom of the Lord. For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)”

The name of Reverend Edward is for many Iranian Christians a reminder of a time when the Iranian Church was under the most severe security pressures. He continued his service despite all threats after his brother Bishop Haik Hosseinian-Mehr’s martyrdom, who was kidnapped and killed for defending religious freedom and advocating for the release of Reverend Mehdi Dibaj. Years later, when forced to leave Iran, he continued his service to the Persian-speaking Church outside the country with the same strength and commitment, and never ceased defending the Iranian Church and giving voice to persecuted Christians.

Many of his students and colleagues remember him more for his humility, love, paternal spirit, and pastoral heart than for his theological knowledge and teaching ability. For thousands, he was not merely a preacher or a Bible teacher; he was a spiritual refuge, a faithful counselor, and an example of faithfulness in serving Christ.

One of Reverend Hosseinian-Mehr’s students who had come to faith years earlier in the Assembly of God Church in Tehran wrote in an emotional message: “When I had newly become a Christian, the Islamic Republic had just put my brother Haik to death; they stabbed him with a dagger and killed him, stopping the beating of his great and devoted heart. Brother Mehdi Dibaj had also been imprisoned in Sari Prison for nearly ten years and received a death sentence. His freedom came as a result of efforts and follow-up by brother Haik and notification to international organizations and the United Nations. But shortly after, brother Haik was martyred, and days later our dear brother Reverend Mehdi Dibaj sacrificed his life for faith in Christ.

Reverend Edward was the bishop of the Assembly of God Church in Tehran, and I had the honor of meeting the Lord in that very church and witnessing the faith and life of God’s men, such as brother Edward; an incomparable bishop, an extraordinary preacher, and a kind and compassionate father.

May the fruit of the service and sacrifice of these beloved ones in the Iranian Church multiply many times over and lead many generations toward Jesus Christ.”

He concluded his words with this verse from the Gospel of John: “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” (John 12:24)

At the same time, the Iranian Church of North London requested all believers to refrain from direct contact and messaging out of respect for the family’s privacy until the time of the memorial service is announced through the church’s official pages. The church also asked Christians throughout the world to remember Reverend Hosseinian-Mehr’s family in their prayers during these difficult days.

The Persian-speaking Christian community has also expressed its deepest condolences to “Nazi,” his faithful and steadfast wife, his children, grandchildren, family members, and the extended family of Iranian Christians who have lost one of their most distinguished servants today, and prays for them God’s peace, comfort, and strength.

Without a doubt, the death of Reverend Dr. Edward Hosseinian-Mehr marks the end of an earthly life, but not the end of his impact on the Iranian Church. The legacy he left behind will live on in the faith of thousands of disciples, in the churches whose foundations he strengthened, in the leaders he trained, in the unities he shaped, and in the generation that came to know the gospel through his teaching.

He repeatedly emphasized in his messages that the Church’s mission is greater than any individual and that servants come and go, but God builds His Church. Now, although the Persian-speaking Church has lost one of its spiritual fathers, the fruit of decades of his faith, love, teaching, and loyalty will continue to bless future generations.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

The memory and name of Reverend Dr. Edward Hosseinian-Mehr, this humble servant, faithful shepherd, and distinguished teacher of the gospel, will forever remain in the history of the Iranian Church.