Washington -- International Christian Concern (ICC) has observed that within the past week there has been an unusually high number of forceful arrests of Iranian church leaders, a result of heightened and aggressive government tactics used to suppress the growing Christian church.

According to reports by Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN), the most recent incident occurred on April 14 when undercover security officers physically assaulted and arrested Pastor Bahnam Irani. The officers introduced themselves as agents of the Ministry of Information before invading Pastor Irani's house-church in Karaj and taking him to an undisclosed location.

Sources indicate that the ten believers attending the worship gathering were new to their faith in Christ. After the raid, the group was forced to complete prepared documents revealing the activities and whereabouts of church leaders. The attendees were also told that they would be summoned to further questioning at a later date.

In a similar occurrence, on April 11 the Ministry of Information arrested 19 year old Daniel Shahri in his home in Isfahan. When entering, the officers rendered an arrest warrant issued by the revolutionary court on charges of internet related activity and forming a house-church.

The third reported arrest occurred on February 28, when Hamid Shafiee and his wife, Reyhaneh Aghajary, were forcefully taken from their home in Isfahan. As of now, they remain in prison and are in poor health still awaiting charges to be brought against them.

As is often the case, arrests of Christians occur collectively and systematically. Once one Christian group is detained, security forces acquire additional information from interrogations, and from investigations of confiscated cell phones and computers which disclose the location of more Christians.

Aidan Clay, ICC Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, "Iran fears the growth of the church, viewing it as a political and religious threat. These arrests are part of an ongoing tactic to torment, afflict and ultimately destroy the church. Yet, just the opposite is happening in Iran. The church is not dying, but rather growing and maturing. Intimidation upon a religious minority must never be an acceptable resolution to govern one's people. ICC requests the immediate release of Bahnam Irani, Daniel Shahri, Hamid Shafiee and Reyhaneh Aghajary. Freedom of religion must be a right of all people, and violations to that freedom must be fiercely condemned."

International Christian Concern