Anti-Christian statements said to reflect leaders’ dismay with house church growth.
LOS ANGELES, June 22 (CDN) — Increased public statements against Christianity in Iran have intensified pressures on Christians, sources said, but at their core they reflect Islamic leaders’ dismay with the growth of house churches and may signal dissension within Iran’s leadership.
“The reality is most of the house churches are so hidden that the government can’t do anything, and they know it,” said a regional expert who requested anonymity. “They just see how the house churches are still growing.”
The source said that since mass arrests at the beginning of this year, Christians have been more cautious.
Another Iranian Christian, a pastor, said the comments likely foretell more arrests.
“I believe that a new wave of persecution is underway,” he said. “The authorities are in the process of evaluating the situation.”
