Prince Reza Pahlavi: Persecution of Christians continues in Iran

In a message, Prince Reza Pahlavi wrote about the continued persecution of Christians in Iran.

Referring to the persecution of religious minorities after the revolution, Prince Reza Pahlavi wrote in a message: "Alongside Jews and Baha'is, Iranian Christians immediately faced widespread persecution. Christian and Catholic leaders, including the Chaldean Archbishop of Tehran, were killed, arrested, or forced to flee the country. Just eight days after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Aristotle Sayyah, a priest of the Anglican Episcopal Church in Shiraz, was murdered, and the government seized the property of Christian churches, including Episcopal hospitals in Shiraz and Isfahan."

Prince Pahlavi, while noting that the persecution of Iranian Christians continues today, added: "Christians, especially Christian converts, are deprived of even their most basic rights, including access to churches. They are routinely imprisoned for their beliefs and face absurd charges of acting against national security and collaborating and spying for enemy governments."

He also emphasized that the Revolutionary Court is harassing Christians with such accusations without providing credible evidence, and continued: "Despite these daunting challenges, the Christian community in Iran remains resilient. Their faith, courage, and hope stand as a testament to the enduring power of faith in the face of oppression. However, their struggle is not over yet, and they need the support of the global Christian community more than ever."

"There is hope, however. The fall of the Islamic Republic will pave the way for a new era of religious freedom in Iran and throughout the Middle East. A free and democratic Iran will once again embrace the diversity of religions and beliefs that have been part of our nation's rich history for thousands of years."

Reza Pahlavi had also addressed the issue of discrimination against religious minorities in an interview he gave to a Catholic television channel in the past few days. In this interview, he spoke about “losing opportunities” and “discrimination against religious minorities.” In this interview, he also called for a democratic, secular government in which the separation of religion and government is guaranteed.