Churches Forced to Stop Farsi Worship in Tehran, Iran

February 21, 2012

Iran's Ministry of Intelligence has ordered two of the last officially registered churches holding Friday Farsi-language services in Tehran to discontinue them, Compass Direct News reports. Friday services in Tehran attracted the city's converts to Christianity as well as Muslims interested in Christianity, because Friday is most Iranians' day off during the week. Officials told Emmanuel Protestant Church and St. Peter's Evangelical Church Feb. 10 that they could no longer hold Friday services, but could hold services on Sunday -- a working day when most Iranians are not able to attend. "This decision means there are now no Farsi-language services on Fridays in any officially registered church in Tehran," a report from Middle East Concern said. The restrictions have cut the two churches' memberships by half, sources said.