Christians urge international motion over deepening humanitarian crisis in Iran

A Christian advocacy group has issued an urgent appeal for international intervention as humanitarian conditions in Iran proceed to worsen, warning that shortages of medication, food and essential supplies are placing hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in danger.

United Christian Activists (UCA) said extraordinary Iranians are finding it increasingly difficult to acquire crucial medicines, medical equipment and day by day necessities, with the crisis posing a serious threat to children, the elderly, low-income families and people with chronic illnesses.

The group argued that the suffering of Iranian civilians mustn’t be viewed simply as the results of external political pressure or international efforts to challenge the Islamic Republic.

“The reality is that a significant slice of the pressure on the Iranian people today is the direct results of the crisis-generating, war-driven, and tension-escalating policies of the Islamic Republic, policies pursued not to guard the interests of the people, but to preserve the facility  structure, suppress domestic discontent, prevent the emergence of the general public’s protests, and exert pressure on  international bodies to be able to compel them to restrain actions by the United States and Israel,” UCA said.

The group claimed the Iranian authorities were effectively using the suffering of extraordinary residents as a political tool.

It said shortages of medication, soaring food prices, reduced access to essential goods and the collapse of livelihoods have turn out to be a part of day by day life for a lot of Iranians.

UCA also alleged that foreign aid intended for civilians has at times been diverted by state-linked organisations or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) into illicit resale networks or to allied groups beyond Iran’s borders, including Hezbollah.

The group called on the European Union, European governments, churches, humanitarian organisations and human rights institutions to determine secure and effective routes for delivering medicines, healthcare equipment and food supplies on to civilians.

It also urged policymakers to make a transparent distinction between extraordinary Iranians and the governing authorities, and to carry the federal government accountable for what it described as “creating and perpetuating this example.”

The statement criticised what it called the silence of some international institutions and activist movements which were vocal about humanitarian crises elsewhere but haven’t spoken out concerning the crisis in Iran.

“Humanitarian principles, if truly universal, must not be selective, political, or depending on geographical considerations,” UCA stated. 

It added: “As United Christian Activists, grounded in our faith within the inherent dignity of each human being and our moral  responsibility toward the suffering of others, we call on the international community at this critical moment to face not with the federal government, but with the people of Iran, and to take immediate, clear, and effective motion to stop the  expansion of this humanitarian catastrophe.”

The warning comes amid growing instability within the region and renewed discussion amongst Christian organisations concerning the way forward for Iran.

Eastern European Mission (EEM) recently said the present conflict within the Middle East could create what it described as a “historic opportunity” to spread the Gospel in Iran, where Christian activity is heavily restricted.

Open Doors ranks Iran because the tenth worst country on this planet for Christian persecution.

Leaving Islam is outlawed and will be punishable by death., while even historic Christian communities often face discrimination and government scrutiny.

Churches in Iran are reported to face police raids, with restrictions often intensifying during times of conflict because Christians are sometimes perceived as being aligned with foreign powers.

EEM said a collapse of the current government could open the door for groundbreaking Bible distribution and evangelism.

Vice president of the organisation Dirk Smith said the Bible already exists in several Iranian languages, but demand could rise dramatically if restrictions ease.

In anticipation of such a possibility, EEM has printed nearly 90,000 Bibles in Iranian languages, including what it says is the primary New Testament translation in Gilaki – a northern Iranian language.

At the identical time, the organisation stressed the immediate need for prayer and peace.