Suffering Iranians unite in prayer for their country
The SAT-7 PARS Viewer Support team, made up of Iranian believers living outside their homeland, has been deeply impacted by the stream of troubling news from Iran in recent weeks. Events including a catastrophic explosion at the country’s largest commercial port, the imprisonment of three Christians – one a pregnant woman – for their faith, and Iran’s deepening economic crisis, are uniting staff and viewers in fervent prayer.
Farshid, an Iranian pastor and a member of the SAT-7 PARS Viewer Support team, feels the pain of recent events just as keenly as his Iran-based compatriots. “These days, as we hear the often-distressing news from Iran, I cannot help but experience a deep aching at the systematic devastation in the country,” he says. “These things are especially heartbreaking for us, seeing the state of our homeland to which we are so closely connected. My prayer is that the Lord grants peace, freedom and justice to Iran and its people.”
The distressing news includes religious freedom violations, increasingly strict laws impacting women, and a crumbling economy that is causing widespread hardship. April’s explosion at the Shahid Rajaee port, which killed at least 40 people and injured more than 1,000, may well wreak further havoc on the economy as the port handles nearly 80% of the country’s imports. Authorities have warned of possible food shortages.[1]
As well as the problems being experienced by the wider population of Iran, Christians in the country face additional pressures because of their faith. In late April, a Tehran appeal court upheld prison sentences totalling more than 40 years for three Christians, the longest given to Narges Nasri, a woman pregnant with her first child. On top of the 15 years she received for her Christian activities, Narges was given an extra year for posting on social media in support of the Woman Life Freedom movement.[2]
SAT-7 PARS viewer Makan requested prayer for these individuals. “Please pray for three believers who, as you have surely heard, have been sentenced to a total of 42 years in prison for their faith,” he said. “May the blessings and strength of the Heavenly Father be upon the Church of the Lord.”
“I SEE THEIR PLIGHT”
Mahsa, another member of the SAT-7 PARS Viewer Support team, is intimately aware of the problems people in Iran are facing. “Being so closely connected with Iranians on a daily basis means that every day I see their plight,” she explains. “I feel a great deal of anxiety and pain, as I see people who are dear to me facing such enormous challenges. The limitations placed on the freedom of belief and the ongoing violations of human rights also impact me deeply. Sometimes it feels as though we are in an endless crisis.”
The regular comments the SAT-7 PARS team receives from viewers in Iran paint a sobering picture of what life is like in the country. Some viewers contact the team in desperate need of prayer. “I ask for your prayers for a few of my brothers in Christ whose lives are in danger,” said Beita. “One of them has been arrested. A few others are also at risk. Please pray for their safety.”
The Viewer Support team offers a vital source of comfort and encouragement to viewers like Beita in times of distress. And their presence on the end of a phone or messaging app provides a tangible sense of fellowship for isolated believers in Iran – reminding them that they are part of the Body of Christ, who sees them and cares for them.
“Sometimes I ask myself, ‘how can I help my compatriots when I am living safely outside of the country?’” said Mahsa. “But I know that through prayer and spiritual support, as well as by raising awareness and taking action where possible, I can make a difference for the people of Iran. “I remember that the Lord is with us through all things and nothing is beyond His power, so I am always hopeful that one day Iran will be a country that is free and ruled justly and the people will know real freedom and comfort.”
PLEASE PRAY:
- Lift up to the Lord SAT-7 PARS’ Viewer Support team as they talk to and respond to messages from people in Iran.
- Pray for the three Christians who have recently been given long jail sentences, especially Narges Nasri as she has to cope with being pregnant in prison.
- Pray with Pastor Farshid “that the Lord grants peace, freedom and justice to Iran and its people”.
[1] Iran port explosion: Mourning turns to anger after blast kills 40 – BBC News
[2] Tehran court rejects appeals of converts sentenced to combined 40 years in prison – Article 18