At least 176 Christians killed or imprisoned in Iran; watching Gospel TV criminalized
By Diana Chandler - Posted at Baptist Press:
Published August 24, 2026
TEHRAN (BP) – Dozens of Christians are among those killed and imprisoned amid rising persecution in Iran, Texas-based Iran Alive Ministries told Baptist Press, citing cases from among its underground church network in Iran.In one of its latest moves against evangelism, the Iranian government blacklisted religious broadcasts and as of July, criminalized listening to such broadcasts, several religious persecution watchdog groups reported, including Open Doors U.S.
At least 33 ministers serving with Iran Alive were killed within the past few months, Iran Alive founder Hormoz Shariat told Baptist Press Aug. 20. Among 131 others arrested, 14 are currently imprisoned, with some on death row.
“This is just a snap picture of the people connected to Iran Alive,” Shariat said in its latest webinar. “There are so many other Christians who have been killed, who’ve been arrested.”
Many of those arrested, 114, are unaccounted for, the ministry said, while four are facing prosecution but have been able to evade arrest. Among others, two have been released under surveillance and one is under house arrest. Eight have been released, Shariat reported, citing sources on the ground in Iran.
