Despite so many positive words coming from the Iranian leadership over the last 18 months, the situation for Christians and other religious minorities remains extremely alarming. There has been an ongoing spike in executions under the Rouhani presidency, as well as a continuation of Iran’s campaign against Persian Christians.

This week, please:

• Thank God for the positive rhetoric coming from the Iranian leadership, but ask him to turn words into actions;
• Pray for Pastor Behnam Irani whose health has deteriorated significantly in the last few years while in prison;
• Thank God that two other imprisoned Iranian church leaders were released in December 2014;
• Pray for an end to the bringing of capital charges, such as moharebeh, or ‘enmity against God’ which have been increasingly used to target religious minorities;
• Ask God to comfort the family and friends of all those imprisoned unjustly in Iran because of their faith;
• Pray for access to justice for those facing trial on religious grounds, that their lawyers would be allowed access to their clients ahead of their hearings;
• Thank God that he is a God of justice, and pray that the Iranian Church would continue to grow and give him glory even in the midst of persecution.