What follows is a message of deep urgency as history unfolds in Iran. As nationwide protests for freedom continued—with death toll reports climbing from the hundreds into the thousands—the Iranian regime shut down the internet, cutting off an entire nation from the outside world. Violence escalated. Families are grieving.
This is a critical moment for the global Church.
International Christian Concern (ICC) is actively and prayerfully preparing to support Iran’s underground believers as the situation deteriorates further or the Islamic regime collapses. These believers worship in secret, share the gospel at great personal risk, and faithfully follow Christ despite persecution.
With our trusted and carefully vetted partners on the ground and our regional team, we are preparing to respond quickly with:
- Emergency humanitarian aid
- Discipleship resources
- Bibles for new and growing believers
The Church in Iran is one of the fastest-growing in the world.
The Church in Iran is one of the fastest-growing in the world. If a window opens, believers will have an unprecedented opportunity to minister to the physical and spiritual needs of a nation crying out for both! ICC will be there to equip the Iranian Christians to do just that.
But we must be ready before that door opens.
We ask that you, faithful brothers and sisters, intercede earnestly for Iran.
Below are prayer points shared by ICC Board Member Dr. Nathan Rostampour, who has issued an urgent plea to the global Church.
Please pray for:
- An immediate end to the violence and the killing of innocent people.
- Truth to be exposed and for justice and accountability to prevail.
- Comfort for grieving families and healing for the wounded and traumatized.
- Restored communication and the end of information blackouts.
- The Church in Iran to be strengthened, unified, fearless, and filled with hope.
When the world cannot see, injustice multiplies.
Dr. Rostampour reminds us that when the world cannot see, injustice multiplies—and when voices are silenced, lives are lost.
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves
Please discuss Iran with your family, friends, and churches. Share what’s happening on social media to raise awareness. And call on leaders and media outlets to report the truth. We cannot let our brothers and sisters suffer in silence (Proverbs 31:8).
May the Lord hear the cries of his people, establish his purposes in Iran, and shine his light into the darkness. Thank you for standing with the Body of Christ in Iran. Iranian believers continue to pray, serve, and follow Jesus from within their tumultuous country.
Finding hope in scripture
We need to go deeper into the biblical context.
As events unfold and unrest escalates in the nation with more violence and uncertainty, many believers are asking where God is at work—and how the Church should pray in moments like this. To understand the situation better, we need to go deeper into the biblical context for the story unfolding in Iran. Scripture gives us profound hope for this land.
In the book of Jeremiah, God speaks of Elam—an ancient region that corresponds to modern-day Iran—declaring:
“I will set My throne in Elam,
and destroy her king and officials,”
declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 49:38)
What does this passage mean?
Judgment on unjust leaders, dismantling oppressive power, and showing that no nation is beyond God’s authority.
Most Bible scholars understand this verse as a statement of God’s sovereign authority over the region historically associated with modern-day Iran. In the biblical context, “setting a throne” does not necessarily mean establishing a physical seat of government, but asserting divine rule—bringing judgment on unjust leaders, dismantling oppressive power, and showing that no nation is beyond God’s authority.
This is a sobering reminder that earthly regimes, no matter how powerful or entrenched, are not ultimate. Importantly, this promise is paired with God’s commitment to restore Elam:
“Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come,”
declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 49:39)
Judgment is not God's final word.
Many scholars see the ultimate fulfillment in two stages: the judgment of God and the advancement of his redemptive story for Iran through Christ as his kingdom advances among all nations.
Seeing today through a biblical lens
The Church’s perseverance and growth in Iran today reflect God’s ongoing work.
In this light, the Church’s perseverance and growth in Iran today reflect God’s ongoing work. Despite decades of persecution, Iran is home to one of the fastest-growing Christian movements in the world. God’s authority is made known not through political dominance but through spiritual transformation, faithful believers, underground churches, and the quiet yet powerful spread of the gospel.
This does not minimize the suffering of the Iranian people or the real danger believers face. Rather, it anchors our hope in a God who is present in the darkness, active amid chaos, and faithful to complete what he has begun.
I believe God isn’t done yet.
A further call to prayer and Scripture-focused intercession
As the global Church, this is a moment to pray with both urgency and confidence.
Consider praying for:
- God’s justice to prevail and violence against innocent people to cease.
- Unjust leaders and systems to be dismantled according to God’s will.
- Protection, courage, and unity among Iran’s underground believers.
- The gospel to continue to advance, despite fear, repression, and isolation.
- God’s restorative purposes to be revealed in his perfect timing.
The story God is writing in Iran is not finished.
As you pray, return to Jeremiah 49:38-39. Reflect on God’s sovereignty, his patience, and his promise to restore. Let these verses shape not only how you understand the moment, but how you intercede for a nation longing for freedom and truth.
The story God is writing in Iran is not finished. And even now, his throne is not absent.
Originally published by International Christian Concern in two parts. Republished with permission.
Shawn Wright serves as president of International Christian Concern (ICC), a global advocacy organization dedicated to defending the rights, dignity, and freedom of persecuted Christians worldwide. In this role, he leads ICC’s mission to raise awareness, provide aid, and advocate for those suffering for their faith, while strengthening partnerships that advance religious freedom around the globe. With experience spanning church missions, nonprofit leadership, and corporate settings—from Fortune 500 companies to small ministries—Shawn brings a unique blend of strategic, operational, and ministry leadership. Earlier in his career, he served as a regional director of development for Elam Ministries and as a U.S. Air Force instructor and facilitator.
For nearly three decades, ICC has developed a unique approach focused on Assistance, Advocacy, and Awareness. They exist to bandage the wounds of persecuted Christians and to build the Church in the most challenging parts of the world. You can explore and share an overview of their ministry and the phenomenon of global persecution by downloading an ICC primer here.
