Iran: Whether there is a Pentecostal church in Iran and, if so, in which cities are the churches located (1993-1999)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 June 1999 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | IRN31990.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Iran: Whether there is a Pentecostal church in Iran and, if so, in which cities are the churches located (1993-1999), 1 June 1999, IRN31990.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6acbb48.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to Iranian Christians International (ICI), an organization dedicated to disseminating information about Iranian Christians and supporting Iranian Christian refugees that is based in Colorado Springs Colorado, as well as the Fellowship of Persian Pentecostals, whose "goal is to see Persian speaking Christians experience the fullness of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in the baptism of the Holy Spirit," there are churches of the pentecostal faith present in Iran at this time (2 June 1999; 5 June 1999). Both sources indicated that the pentecostal denomination includes Assemblies of God churches. According to the representative of the Fellowship of Persian Pentecostals:
There are many Assemblies of God churches in Iran. They are the oldest known pentecostal denomination. They have churches all over Iran. Their leader Rev. Hosepian-Mehr was killed in 1994. There are also some Assyrian Pentecostals in Tehran that used to be related to the United Pentecostal Church (5 June 1999).
Iranian Christians International provides more detailed information. Its Executive Director states that the Persian translation of Assemblies of God is "Jama'at-e Rabbani" and that the membership of this church "was mostly Armenian and Assyrian" when first established in 1959 (2 June 1999). Presently there are churches of this faith open in the cities of Rasht and Tehran in the Central, Majidieh, and Narmak areas.
The Executive Director also stated that there are a number of Jama'at-e Rabbani churches that are operating "underground." These include one in the city of Urumieh that went "underground" in 1993; one in Ahwaz that went "underground" in 1988; one in Shiraz that went "underground" in 1992; one in Isfahan that went "underground" in 1992; one in Ghaern-Shahr (formerly Shahi) that went "underground" in 1985; one in Gorgan that went "underground" in 1993; one in Arak that went "underground" in 1985; and, one in Mashad that went "underground" in 1988. He said there are also two Assyrian Pentecostal churches in Hamadan and Kermanshah, that went "underground" in 1991, as well as one in Tehran-Shahr-Ara that went underground in 1985.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Fellowship of Persian Pentecostals, Andalusia, Alabama. 5 June 1999. Correspondence from Representative.
Iranian Christians International (ICI), Colorado Springs, Colorado. 2 June 1999. Correspondence from Executive Director.