Why their rise could be bad news for believers in Iran
Open Doors recently released its updated list of the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian. The top ten remained largely unchanged, with North Korea, Somalia, and Yemen continuing to hold the top three spots. However, Syria broke onto the list, rising from number eighteen last year to sixth in the latest iteration.
While there are a number of factors that go into Open Doors’ rankings, the primary areas they consider are the extent to which the nation negatively affects a believer’s private life, public life, family, community, and church. Syria ranked high—meaning persecution was rampant—in all five, with the threat of imminent violence tacked on for good measure.
In short, it’s become one of the most dangerous places to live as a Christian, and there are few signs of improvement. However, that is not the case for Syrians in every part of the country. And the reason why could soon prove crucial for their fellow believers in Iran.
Why persecution is rising in Syria
Open Doors notes in their entry on Syria that the pressure Christians face varies by region, with the Northeast generally safer and the greatest pressure coming near the Northwest and in the nation’s two largest cities: Aleppo and Damascus. When the new government took over following the fall of the Assad regime in December of 2024, they met with Christian leaders and pledged to become more moderate than their predecessors. However, that has not been the case.
The government, under the leadership of Ahmad al-Sharaa, instead established Islamic law as the foundation of the transitional constitution. While that should not come as too much of a surprise, and the nation’s leaders appear to still be wrestling with all that should entail, it has opened the door for extremist groups to expand their activities in several parts of the country.
As Jayson Casper describes, Islamist actors in Damascus and Aleppo “have called for conversion to Islam through trucks laden with loudspeakers in Christian neighborhoods” and “placed posters on churches demanding payment of the sharia-mandated jizyah tax (historically levied on non-Muslims) for those who refuse.” The situation is little better in the South, where Christians face the threat of theft and violence as some Muslim groups in the region “believe they have the right to loot non-Muslim properties.”
And while one local pastor remarked that Evangelicals enjoy “ten times” more freedom than they did under Assad, he also noted that the government is not doing enough to combat the extremist elements within the country.
Syrian believers are hardly the only ones to suffer as a result of a negligent government, though. Open Doors notes that “fragile governments” are one of the leading causes of persecution around the world, and that is particularly important to note given what may be on the horizon for their neighbors in Iran.
Is Iran next?
In this week’s edition of The Focus, I discussed the ongoing protests in Iran and why they could very well result in a change of government. While, as of this writing, it’s looking less likely that America will intervene militarily to support the marches, there’s also a chance they won’t need to.
The threat of American missiles has, for the moment, put an end to the government’s attempts to suppress the protests through murder—though mass arrests have continued—and the economic situation that sparked the protests is not going to get better until the sanctions on Iran are removed and the country can once again engage with the rest of the world market.
The UN sanctions—reimposed last September—could go away if Iran allowed inspectors to monitor their nuclear facilities. That would provide some help, but far more pressure has come from the United States. President Trump has been clear for months that Iran will see no relief until it completely dismantles its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, as well as ends their financing of proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah.
Without those programs and proxies, however, the government of Iran would abdicate the vast majority of what power they have left in the region, which is why they have repeatedly stated that they will not comply. As a result, their days as a regional—much less global—power appear to be at an end, whether that end comes through the government being toppled or through agreeing to essentially topple itself to remain in power.
Either way, the country is in for a great deal of change and, as we’ve seen in Syria, that change can create an even more dangerous climate for the country’s Christians. So, how can they prepare? And what lessons can we take from their situation that might apply to our own lives as well?
Finding peace in the Father
Christ’s promise in John 16:33 is one of the most commonly cited verses in Scripture, particularly in contexts where persecution or hard times feel unavoidable. In that passage, he tells his disciples, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
The “these things” Jesus mentions are in reference to the warning that an hour was coming when his followers would be scattered and abandon him. That’s not exactly something I would find peace in hearing, were I in the disciples’ place. However, the warning was accompanied by the promise that, even when the disciples deserted him, the Father would not (John 16:32).
I’m sure Jesus would have loved to be able to count on his disciples in those final moments before his arrest and crucifixion. He even asked as much of them in the Garden when he requested that they keep watch while he prayed because his soul was “very sorrowful, even to death” (Mark 14:34).
He didn’t need his disciples in those final moments, though, because he had the Father. And the same is true for each of us.
Ideally, when tough times come, you’ll be able to face them with the love and support of friends and family. That’s God’s will for the Body of Christ, but it would be naïve to think that it will always happen that way.
A time will come when people will fail you, just as there are times when you will inevitably fail other people. That’s just part of being human.
When that happens, will you focus on the shortcomings of others or on the presence and faithfulness of your heavenly Father? Jesus was clear that only the latter can grant us peace.
So, whether you find yourself facing persecution on account of your faith or simply going through a rough patch in life, remember that there’s nothing wrong with looking to others for help. It could be that God will bring people into your life or equip those already present with precisely what you need. However, no person can ever take the place of the Lord, and he is the only one who can provide the peace required to remain faithful during those times.
Where do you need that peace today?
Quote of the day:
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through the experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” —Helen Keller
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