The growth in the number of Christian converts is the result of the regime's strictness in Iran

Sara.Kh. FCNN News Agency: As December 25th approaches, the time of Christian celebration and joy on the occasion of the birth of Jesus Christ, the government's strictures on Iranian Christians and converts have intensified.

According to FCNN, wiretapping and persecuting Christian converts are among the measures that have been robbing these compatriots of their peace of mind and forcing them to stay home.

But according to Sepehr, a Christian convert living in Turkey, this stay-at-home policy does not satisfy the government leaders either. Because the fragrance of Christianity in Iran knows no bounds.

The regime's strictness is bearing fruit in promoting Christianity.

In an interview with FCNN, Sepehr talks about the new concern of the Islamic Republic regime and that the promotion of Christianity using virtual networks has terrified them. This is the result of Christian converts and Muslims interested in Christianity staying home.

According to this compatriot, the attempt to nationalize the Internet in Iran is a reaction that is underway to prevent such a situation and shows that the regime's leaders have not yet taken the phenomenon of the global village seriously.

According to Sepehr, strengthening the position of house churches is another example of the fruits of government strictures in Iran.

Citing news he receives from all over the country, he says, "My friends gather in groups of five or six in cozy corners of public places, read the Bible, and worship God. Sometimes they gather periodically in each other's homes and pray in silence. The interesting thing is that with these methods, they can include one or two Muslim friends in each meeting."

In Sepehr's view, the regime's coercive and strict treatment of Christians has led to their dispersion into homes and more intimate gatherings with Muslims, which in itself is a factor in evangelization and the spread of the fragrance of the word among all Iranians. Whereas gathering all Christians in a covered church could not have had such an impact.

 Worship in Persian is prohibited. 

For years, actions against the system and national security have been used as an excuse to carry out violent attacks against Christian converts, and the Islamic Republic's government officials use this seemingly legal justification to prevent these minorities from holding religious ceremonies.

According to FCNN, in continuation of these regime measures, for the past year or two, the main target of attacks has been Christian worship services in Persian. In a way, the authorities have focused on restricting Christians and diminishing the impact of their worship services through various legal and illegal actions.

But in recent months, the bulk of the regime's unjust reactions have been directed at Protestants.

A Christian convert, speaking to FCNN, believes that the reason for the government's stance against Protestant converts and Christians is the growing tendency of Iranian Muslims towards this sect.

In this interview, Mahtab emphasized that the severity of the treatment of holding ceremonies in Persian is to the point that the rights of Protestants themselves, as an accepted minority in Iran, are being ignored.

According to this Christian convert, the reason for the regime's approach is the effect that this sect's worship and worship rituals have on Muslims.

Blatant human rights violations in Iran

He, who has had the experience of seeing interested Muslims in a number of house churches in Iran on several occasions, believes that this very reaction from Muslims has created fear in the regime's leaders and is prompting them to engage in any inhumane treatment.

Listening to people's conversations, following them in their daily commutes, and spying on their most private relationships are part of these encounters.

Mahtab emphasizes that the leaders of the Islamic Republic regime are openly violating human rights to compensate for their failure to control the promotion of Christianity in Iran and are not afraid of public pressure.

Mahtab continues: "These hostile actions by the leaders of the Islamic Republic regime against Christianity have intensified in a situation where Christians have no objection to the promotion of Islam in their countries and Muslims around the world freely worship God and build mosques."

The action of a Catholic priest to designate a special prayer room for Muslims at the Good Shepherd Church in Australia is, in the opinion of this Christian convert, an example of his claim.

Report by Ahmad Shaheed 

In his report examining the human rights situation in Iran in 2015, UN Special Rapporteur Ahmad Shahid also pointed out cases of injustice against the Christian minority in the country.

Restrictions and bans on the construction of churches, preventing services in Persian in Christian churches, and targeting house church leaders who have often converted from Islam to Christianity are some of these cases.

 The report states that Christian converts continue to face restrictions in observing special days of their religion.

In part of this report, Ahmed Shaheed also mentioned the widespread arrests of Christians during Christmas celebrations.

The report also states: “According to reports from April 2014, authorities have increasingly closed officially licensed churches and arrested their pastors for holding services in Persian and providing religious services to Iranians of Muslim background. Authorities also regularly block Christian websites. Christian converts sometimes report severe psychological and physical abuse while in detention, including threats of death.”