UN urged to take action against Iran’s latest crackdown on Protestants

By Michael Gryboski, Editor

Demonstrators gather with Iranian national flags for a rally in support of the new Supreme Leader at Enghelab Square in central Tehran on March 9, 2026. Iran marked the appointment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father as its supreme leader with a new barrage of missiles against Israel and the Gulf states on Monday, as the Middle East war sent oil prices soaring. | Atta KENARE / AFP via Getty Images

A human rights advocacy group is calling on the United Nations to take action against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s latest crackdown on Protestants in the country.

The European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) sent a letter to the United Nations Human Rights Council on Wednesday in response to recent attacks on Iran’s Christian minority.

Specifically, the ECLJ cited the Iranian government’s seizure of the property of St. Peter Evangelical Church, reportedly the oldest Protestant church in the capital, Tehran, last month.

Authorities also reportedly took control of church-owned residences in Tehran, forcing the Christian families living there to flee from Iranian security forces, according to the ECLJ.

“St. Peter Evangelical Church’s confiscation is not an isolated incident,” stated the group. “ Ministry of Intelligence just recently classified Christian satellite broadcasters as hostile organizations.”

“Any form of ‘cooperation’ with Christian television networks is also prohibited. As such, watching, contacting, or sharing content from any such organization could lead to prosecution under national security and espionage laws.”

The ECLJ argued that these and other actions by the regime were “grave violations of international human rights law,” as Iran is “a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

“We request the Human Rights Council to join the Special Rapporteurs and condemn Iran’s human rights violations,” said the group. “We further request that this Council also take concrete steps to address the systematic abuses of religious freedom committed by Iran.”

“In this regard, we request that the Council specifically include the shutting down of churches, confiscation of church properties, and detention, interrogations, and imprisonment of Christians in its resolutions and its mandate to the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The ECLJ addressed the letter to Sidharto Reza Suryodipuro, Indonesia’s permanent ambassador to the United Nations and U.N. Human Rights Council president.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has also expressed concern over the seizure of the Tehran church and its properties, voicing support for the Council of Evangelical Churches of Iran, which originally owned the property.

“The confiscation of church property and displacement of its community constitute a serious violation of freedom of religion or belief and threaten Iran’s longstanding Christian presence and heritage,” said the Rev. Jerry Pillay, WCC general secretary, in a statement earlier this week.

“These developments are especially troubling in light of other recent measures affecting churches and Christian communities in the country.”

Pillay called on “the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran to reverse the seizure, restore the compound to the Council of Evangelical Churches of Iran, allow residents and worshippers to return, and ensure the protection of all Christian communities and places of worship.”

According to the persecution watchdog group Open Doors, “Christians in Iran are heavily and systemically repressed,” with converts from Islam being a major target of the government.

“House churches are commonly raided, often followed by arrests, interrogations, pressure to inform on other believers and long-term imprisonment,” noted Open Doors.

“Despite being recognized by the state, the historical Armenian and Assyrian Christian communities are treated as second-class citizens, facing discrimination in employment, marriage laws and inheritance laws.”

 

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