Iranian pastor: 'The people are not backing down'

Iranian evangelical pastor Pooyan Mehrshahi says the people of Iran are not backing down, despite thousands having been killed and tens of thousands reported to have been arrested amid the country's protests against the government.

In an update earlier this week, en shared statistics from the Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) stating that 490 protesters and 48 security personnel had died in Iran in recent days, with 10,600 reported arrests.

But according to Mehrshahi, that arrest figure has now risen to 18,000 and the death toll is reported to be in the thousands. He details widespread stories of torture, forced confessions, and secret detentions.

Mehrshahi was born in Iran in 1980 and now lives in the UK, where he is Pastor of Providence Baptist Chapel (Reformed Baptist), Cheltenham, and Chairman of the Parsa Trust, a Persian Iranian Ministry.

“Executions are a very real immediate fear right now,” Mehrshahi says in his latest video. “Protesters are being charged with things like waging war against Allah and Islam, and that [is a] capital offence under the regime; they’re labelled terrorists and there are open warnings that many will be executed.”

“The regime is ruling through pure fear and they’re not hiding it," he continues. “In some cities, streets look more like slaughterhouses. Faces, young and old, are unrecognisable from the brutality. How awful is that?

“This is a government literally fighting for its survival, but we’re talking about the spiritual stronghold of Satan and yet the people are not backing down.”

Situation in Iran is 'extremely grave'

"This isn't distant news, this is real life, it's unfolding incredibly fast," Mehrshahi says. Describing the situation as "extremely grave," he details a reported near-total blackout, disrupted internet communications, and restricted phone lines - but reports are still getting out, he says.

Protests are still happening across Iran, regime symbols are being torn down, and chants calling for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death (Iran's leader) are everywhere, says Mehrshahi, with calls for exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi to return. Pahlavi is one of the mainstream figures of the Iranian opposition to the government and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

"Whatever your political views, this level of defiance tells us something profound - something historic is happening here," Mehrshahi says.

Pray for freedom unto truth

The pastor continues: "I know it makes a lot of us in the West sit up and think, maybe this is it, maybe this is the moment Iranians finally are set free... But I want to ask you, please think a little deeper and pray accordingly."

Expanding on this statement, Mehrshahi describes how Iranians are putting their hope in outside help - listing "Donald Trump, Israel, Elon Musk, Western powers, tech billionaires, sanctions, military pressure, intelligence ops" - in an "understandable" and "natural" way, but warns that "these actors" have their own "agendas," "calculations" and "priorities."

He says: “There are so many hands involved, so many interests, so many backroom plans and negotiations. We have to be clear-eyed about this," adding, "The situation is incredibly complicated. These nations do not act purely out of charity."

Pray "not just for freedom from tyranny, but for freedom unto truth. Freedom under Christ," he exhorts. “And we have to plan. We need to pray for a clear spiritual assessment once the dust starts to settle.

"Once the dust starts to settle, you pray that mature experienced men like Caleb and Joshua would go in, meet with the people, make connections with true Christians and the underground churches, take time, months even, to really analyse the situation and assess what's there spiritually.

"Pray that God will raise up men in Iran who are truly called, Biblically qualified, faithful men. Men shaped by Scripture, not trends. Pastors and elders who can teach and shepherd and suffer. They need discipleship. They need proper training in the Word and sound doctrine.

"Pray for families. Pray for them too. Homes rebuilt on God's word. Fathers leading, godly mothers caring and teaching. Children discipled in truth because from strong homes come strong churches. From churches come transformed communities."

A call to action

Mehrshahi ends by pointing listeners towards the Parsa Trust - the Persian Reformed ministry of which he is chairman - and the Trinitarian Bible Society.

He concludes: “If you are a pastor or part of a faithful Bible-believing church or organisation or seminary, can you do something to support the church in Iran when things stabilise? Do you have any plans at all? Please pray about that. Friends, Iran is bleeding. The devastation is real, yes, physical and spiritual, but God is not absent."

And, a statement from earlier on in his video, to end: “As believers, friends, we are called to weep with those who weep and this is what we ought to do. Our hearts should bleed for these people.”