The implications of the current Iranian conflict are far-reaching and go well beyond the geopolitical discussions you might hear discussed on social channels or cable news. While our media is focused on international trade outcomes, the White House’s foreign policy, and the prospects of stability for the region, an underrated impact is being felt by the Christian community in Iran. Though it may appear inconsequential on the surface, the Iranian church’s future is intertwined with the nation’s future and ultimately carries eternal significance.

Christianity is a persecuted minority today, but has a pivotal presence in Iran’s history, dating back to the Apostolic days of the church. Tradition holds that Thaddeus and Bartholomew visited modern-day Iran in the decades after the resurrection, even establishing a since-reconstructed monastery around 68 AD. Over the next two millennia, the church took a roller coaster ride. From the Muslim conquest, Ottoman rule, the modern missions movement, and the Iranian revolution to today, the church expanded and contracted, but always persisted.

While God has preserved a remnant of believers since the earliest days of the church, being a follower of Christ in Iran has not been an enviable position. Islam-sanctioned persecution has marked much of Persian history for believers. It is only by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit that anyone would leave behind the “comforts” of Islam for the dangers of Christianity.

More information on Iranian Christians is here.