A ‘Country of Particular Concern’: Iran Rearrests Two Christians for Practicing Their Faith 

Latest Developments 

• Iran’s Renewed Discrimination: The Islamic Republic once again incarcerated two Christians in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison for practicing their faith, the religious freedom group Article 18 reported on February 10. Iran had previously arrested the pair — Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, a Christian convert from Islam, and Joseph Shahbazian, an Iranian-Armenian — and sentenced them to 10 years in prison for their leadership of house churches. However, the regime pardoned them before they completed their sentences, releasing Gol-Tapeh in October 2022 after nearly five years in jail and Shahbazian in September 2023 after more than a year in jail. 

• A Leading Persecutor of Christians: While the Islamic Republic’s constitution formally recognizes Christians as a protected religious minority, the clerical regime has long sought to repress the faith. According to the 2025 annual report of the Christian advocacy group Open Doors, Iran ranks ninth among the world’s top persecutors of Christians. The report notes that Tehran regards Christian converts from Islam as a particular threat, with the regime “stating that they are influenced by Western countries to undermine Islam and the regime.” In prison, the report further observes, “Christian converts are treated worse than other inmates, denied exercise, phone calls, and subjected to torture and extended interrogation.” 

• U.S. Commission Condemns Iran’s Religious Persecution: The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has repeatedly condemned Iran’s violations of religious freedom. In its 2024 annual report, USCIRF urged the State Department to continue designating Iran as a “country of particular concern” pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, thereby subjecting the Islamic Republic to key sanctions. 

FDD Expert Response 

“The continuing persecution of Christians by Iran’s rulers should serve as a timely reminder that the Islamic Revolution of 1979 produced the first modern nation-state committed to jihad against the West. Israel is merely the country that is closest and most vulnerable. That Iran’s rulers are taking these actions at a time when President Trump is deciding how best to prevent them from acquiring nuclear weapons is, if nothing else, audacious.” — Clifford D. May, Founder and President 

“Four decades of Islamist rule in Iran have led to widespread disillusionment among many Iranians. Polls and other evidence indicate that an increasing number of Iranians are seeking spiritual fulfillment in other religions and beliefs, such as Christianity or Zoroastrianism, while a significant portion of society is abandoning faith altogether. As a result, many traditional Muslims have come to see the Islamic Republic not as a defender of their religion but rather as one of its greatest adversaries.” — Saeed Ghasseminejad, Senior Iran and Financial Economics Advisor 

“The Islamic Republic’s only truly equal practice is its persecution of religious minorities, regardless of sect or faith. Despite the regime’s claims of differentiating its treatment of ‘people of the book’ — Jews, Christians, and Sunni Muslims — from unrecognized faiths like the Bahais, its Shia supremacist ideology ultimately targets any religious groups that do not conform to its doctrine.” — Janatan Sayeh, Research Analyst 

FDD Background and Analysis 

“Iran Sentences 10 Women From Baha’i Religious Minority to Lengthy Prison Terms,” FDD Flash Brief 

“Jewish Man Facing Execution Under Iran’s Apartheid Laws Targeting Minorities,” FDD Flash Brief 

“Executions Surge in Iran as Protests Persist,” FDD Flash Brief