US Commission requests to raise the issue of "Iranian religious freedom" in Oman talks

The United States Commission on Religious Freedom urged the Trump administration to pursue the issue of "Iranian religious freedom" in the Oman talks.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has presented its demand to the Trump administration that Iran be held accountable for violations of religious freedom, as one of the main issues to be considered and pursued in the upcoming negotiations to be held in Oman.

The aforementioned commission issued a statement on this matter, warning that the intensification of persecution of religious minorities in Iran has led to the migration and flight of minority citizens, especially Christians, so that most of them have declared asylum in refugee-accepting countries and will face serious risks, including threats, torture, arrest, deportation, and long-term imprisonment, if they return to Iran.

"Iranians who oppose the government's approved religious interpretation (especially Christian converts) face severe government persecution," said Stephen Schack, chairman of the U.S. Commission, in a statement. "The Trump administration should demand specific concessions from Iran regarding these systematic violations of religious freedoms in the Oman negotiations."

Among those at risk is a group of Iranian Christian converts who fled Iran for the United States in February and are now in Panama. The Panamanian government has granted them a temporary 30-day permit with the possibility of a 90-day extension, but they could still be returned to Iran, where they risk persecution, torture, and long-term imprisonment.

Mir Saloveitchik, the deputy chairman of the US Commission, also emphasized this and said: "Supporting Iranians who are persecuted for religious reasons sends a clear message to the international community that freedom of religion or belief is a priority for the US government." He also called on the US Congress to permanently extend the "Lautenberg Amendment."

The "Lautenberg Amendment" was passed by the United States Congress three decades ago to facilitate the admission of Jews who had fled the Soviet Union, with the 2004 U.S. legislature expanding the program to include religious minorities persecuted by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Commission also noted that there are numerous reports of pressure on Christians in countries where they have applied for asylum, and that some of them are facing deportation to Iran despite judicial convictions for their Christian beliefs and activities. It also noted: "According to Article 33 of the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, it is expressly prohibited to return an asylum seeker to a country where his or her life or freedom would be threatened for religious reasons."

Negotiations between Iran and the United States over Tehran's nuclear program are scheduled to begin in Oman on Saturday, April 12. Also, despite the United States' talk of direct dialogue, the Iranian government continues to place great emphasis on indirect negotiations.