Iran Arrests 254 Christians and Calls Them 'Trained Elements' to Be 'Neutralised' in Shocking Crackdown

254 Christians Arrested in Iran as Regime Uses Believers as Scapegoats Amid Political Collapse

A joint annual report released this week by Article 18, Open Doors, CSW, and Middle East Concern has exposed a staggering escalation in the persecution of Christians in Iran. The report, titled "Scapegoats: Rights Violations Against Christians in Iran," reveals that 254 Christians were arrested in 2025 solely because of their faith, nearly double the 139 arrests recorded in 2024.

The crackdown intensified sharply following the 12 day war between Iran and Israel, after which Iran's Ministry of Intelligence confirmed that 53 "trained elements," a term referring to evangelical Christians, had been "neutralised." Advocacy groups say the regime, humiliated by its military failures, turned on religious minorities as convenient targets to blame.

More than twice the number of Christians served sentences of imprisonment, exile, or forced labor in 2025 (57) compared to 2024 (25). Forty three Christians remained behind bars at the end of the year, with at least 16 more held in pretrial detention. The combined total of prison sentences climbed to 280 years, up from 263 years in 2024, signaling a trend toward increasingly harsh punishments.

The response to those protests has been horrifying, with reports of many thousands killed, including several Christians, and every Iranian, regardless of their religious background, affected.

Among the most disturbing cases documented: a pregnant woman was sentenced to 16 years in prison on International Women's Day, and another woman developed a severe infection after falling from a bunk bed in custody. Most arrested Christians were charged under the amended Article 500 of the Iranian penal code, which criminalizes "propaganda contrary to the holy religion of Islam."

Iran ranks 10th on Open Doors' 2026 World Watch List for Christian persecution, scoring 87 out of 100 on their persecution index. In a nation of more than 92 million people, only approximately 800,000 are Christians. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has become increasingly involved in targeting believers, including those distributing Bibles and attending theological seminars abroad in Turkey.

Iran Doubles Down on Christian Persecution After 12 Day War With Israel

Protests erupted across Iran at the end of December 2025, with citizens calling for an end to the Islamic Republic's leadership. The regime's violent response left thousands dead, including at least 19 confirmed Christians. The report was published on the anniversary of the murder of Reverend Arastoo Sayyah, the first Christian killed for his faith under the Islamic Republic.

Despite the brutality, the church in Iran remains one of the fastest growing in the world. Christians have been providing food and water to fellow demonstrators, risking their own safety to serve others even as the government monitors their every move, including their activities overseas.

The Crusader's Opinion

Let's be absolutely clear about what is happening here. The Islamic Republic of Iran is systematically hunting down Christians, throwing pregnant women into prison cells, and calling believers "trained elements" to be "neutralised." This is not a policy disagreement. This is state sponsored religious extermination.

Two hundred and fifty four arrests. Two hundred and eighty years of combined prison sentences. A pregnant woman sentenced to 16 years. And the world stays silent. If a single Christian nation arrested 254 Muslims for praying, every international body on earth would convene an emergency session by morning. But when an Islamic regime does it to Christians? Crickets.

The Iranian regime did not just fail its people in war. It revealed what it has always been: a tyranny that fears the cross more than any missile. And that fear tells you everything you need to know about whose side truth is on.

Take Action

• Donate to The Shepherd's Shield to support persecuted Christians worldwide and fund emergency relief for believers in hostile nations.
• Support Open Doors USA, one of the organizations behind this report, which provides direct assistance to persecuted Christians in Iran and across the Middle East.
• Give to CSW (Christian Solidarity Worldwide) to fund advocacy and legal support for imprisoned Iranian believers.
• Contact your elected representatives and urge them to raise Iran's persecution of Christians in diplomatic discussions. Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224 3121 to reach your Senator or Representative.
• Read the full "Scapegoats" report at Article 18 and share it on social media to raise awareness of what Iranian Christians are enduring.
• Pray specifically for the 43 Christians currently serving prison sentences and the 16 held in pretrial detention. Share their stories with your church congregation this Sunday.