More than 200 Christian leaders from Iran have come out in support of the exiled Crown Prince, Reza Pahlavi, the son of the country’s last Shah.
In their statement the Christian leaders, who come from a range of a broad range of organisations and denominations, said they believed themselves to be “an inseparable part of the Iranian nation”, adding that the country is at one of its “most decisive moments”.
In recent months Iran has seen deadly protests against the government, with tens of thousands believed to have been killed by the security services.
In their statement the Christian leaders accused the Iranian government of failing to protect the people and “inflicting grievous harm” on the nation.
The statement further argued that due to the crimes inflicted on the Iranian people since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, the government has lost all “moral, national and international legitimacy” and that regime change is needed.
“Today, in order to move beyond despotism, violence, and moral and social collapse, Iran requires national solidarity, responsible leadership, and a transition grounded in wisdom and reason. Accordingly, we declare our support for Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and his programme," they said.
The statement also made reference to a figure from Iran’s distant past, Cyrus the Great, a Persian King mentioned multiple times in the Bible. It was Cyrus who gave the order that the Jews be set free from their Babylonian captivity and the Temple rebuilt.
“We believe that our beloved Iran can once again, as in the era of Cyrus the Great, become a herald of hope and freedom for its people and its neighbours. In this spirit, we affirm that the living and true God is able to bring warmth and healing to broken hearts ... May God’s peace and healing be upon our nation," the statement read.
According to Open Doors, Iran is the 10th worst persecutor of Christians in the world. Conversion from Islam is illegal and even those who are not converts must meet secretly in house churches and face the constant threat of raids by the police. Christians are frequently arrested on “national security” grounds.
