IRAN: URGENT PRAYER NEEDED

Christians from Iran and the surrounding countries are calling for urgent prayer from their brothers and sisters around the world.

After weeks of negotiations, yesterday marked an end to the peaceful and diplomatic talks between Iran and the US. This morning, explosions were heard in Iran’s capital, Tehran, as Israel said it had launched a ‘pre-emptive’ strike against Iran. Defence Minister Israel Katz declared a ‘special and immediate state of emergency’ in Israel. The airstrikes hit central Tehran as two waves of airstrikes have been carried out so far. Strikes were also heard in Isfahan and Qom. The attack followed a series of earlier airstrikes targeting South Lebanon. Both Iran and Israel have now closed their airspaces.

A prayer of hope

“As an Iranian and as a Christian, I speak with a heavy heart,” shares a local Open Doors partner. “I do not celebrate war, nor do I take lightly the suffering it brings to ordinary families in Iran, in Israel and across the region. Every life is precious before God.

“Yet as an Iranian, I also cannot ignore the deep longing for freedom that has lived in the hearts of our people for generations. If this painful moment becomes a turning point toward justice and true liberty, then my prayer is that it leads not to greater destruction, but to the restoration of dignity, hope and peace.”

He adds: “As followers of Christ, we pray for the protection of the innocent, for restraint among leaders, and for a future where Iran and the region may know freedom without fear. May God bring light out of darkness and peace out of turmoil.”

“A significant moment in Iran’s history”

An Open Doors expert on Iran shares: “The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei marks a significant and sobering moment in Iran’s history. As an Iranian Christian, I cannot ignore that under his leadership the church in Iran lived for decades under intense pressure, facing restrictions, surveillance, arrests and the constant weight of uncertainty. Many faithful believers endured suffering simply for following Christ.

“Yet even in hardship, the church has remained resilient, prayerful and deeply rooted in hope. This moment is not about revenge or triumph, but about the possibility of a different future. One where freedom of conscience, dignity and justice are extended to all Iranians, regardless of faith or background. My prayer is that this turning point will open the way for peace, reconciliation and genuine freedom for our nation.”

Please keep praying

Given this escalation, we call for urgent prayers for the people in Iran, Palestinian Territories, Israel, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon and especially for our brothers and sisters. Please join in praying:

• for peace, protection and wisdom for the people of Iran and the wider region amid violence and uncertainty.
• for comfort for families who have lost loved ones and for the lives of all citizens to be protected
• for those injured, both physically and psychologically, to receive divine healing and emotional restoration
• for Christians in these countries to remain vessels of hope, faith and light to their neighbours
• for leaders and decision-makers worldwide to act justly and wisely and speak boldly for freedom of religion and belief
• for Christian converts in detention, and for all believers held in custody, that they would be protected from any harm and released swiftly
• for courage and hope among Iranian Christians, that even in loss and fear, they would know that they’re not forgotten and not alone. Pray that they will rely on God these days.