The underground church in Iran is growing. So is the price of belonging to it.
Iran was already one of the hardest places on earth to follow Jesus. In recent months the pressure has sharpened into a stark body count.
Texas-based Iran Alive Ministries, which trains house-church leaders and shines the Gospel into Farsi-speaking homes, has released a grim glimpse from its own network: In the past few months alone, Iran’s Islamist government has killed at least 33 Christian ministers and arrested approximately 131 others. Fourteen of those arrested remain in prison, with some sitting on death row.
“This is just a snap picture of the people connected to Iran Alive,” said Hormoz Shariat, founder of the ministry. “There are so many other Christians who have been killed, who’ve been arrested.”
Of the roughly 176 believers in that tally, the ministry could name only 20—four of them among the dead. At least 156 names remain unavailable, Shariat told Baptist Press.
The killings punctuate what has been a violent year. During January’s civilian protests, a nationwide uprising, the government instituted lethal force. Iran Alive and other sources have cited estimates of 40,000 to 50,000 civilians who were killed. Official government numbers were, notably, significantly lower.
More recently, Tehran has taken to blacklisting religious broadcasts. As of July, merely listening to them is a crime. Open Doors has placed Iran at No. 10 on its 2026 annual World Watch List, which ranks countries where Christians are known to face severe persecution. The ranking itself slipped one place from the year before, but the persecution score did not.
Converts from Islam to Christianity remain the chief target. Officials often treat prayer meetings, baptisms and Bible distribution as national-security offenses. Families disappear into the machinery of arrest, interrogation and silence. And yet, the reports show that people keep coming to Christ—Iran Alive has reported 5,849 documented conversions this year alone.
“The government is not happy,” Shariat said, “but we are happy because God’s kingdom is expanding and advancing. The government never liked us, but now, according to Islamic law, Iranian law, I am officially a criminal. Our staff are officially criminals, and that’s an honor.”
He further explained how even within prison, detained Christians are viewing it as the mission field. “Christian prisoners consider prison as their place of ministry,” Shariat stated, “and they are leading many people to Christ.”
These same Christians are learning more and more to turn away from the failed leadership of men and toward Christ. “The only hope that is left for them is Jesus Christ,” Shariat asserted. “Every man who promised them to do something, they have let them down, but Jesus hasn’t. … That’s why we see more salvations at this time than ever before.”
Shariat’s appeal is for intercession: “Please pray for these people. You have the authority to use the name of Jesus. Use that and pray for the prisoners.”
Relevant Bible passages to ponder: Matthew 5:10, 1 Peter 4:12-14, Romans 8:35-39, John 16:33
