Pope Leo XIV has issued a powerful call for the world to defend religious freedom and stand with persecuted Christians, following the imprisonment of five Iranian converts who face nearly a decade behind bars for their faith.
In June 2024, Hesameddin Mohammad Junaidi, Abolfazl Ahmadzadeh Khajani, Morteza Faghanpour Sasi and two other unnamed men were arrested in Iran on charges connected to their Christian faith. The five converts were accused of participating in Christian training courses in Turkey, attending house-church meetings and engaging in what authorities described as “propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law”.
One of the men received an additional charge of “insulting the leadership” of Iran, compounding his legal troubles. Despite being initially released on bail, an Iranian court upheld their prison sentences last month, meaning all five now face approximately eight to 10 years of imprisonment.
The men launched appeals against their lengthy sentences, but these were subsequently rejected by the Iranian judicial system. Their plight highlights the severe persecution faced by Christian converts in the Islamic theocratic state, where it is prohibited for Muslims to convert to Christianity.
Those found guilty of apostasy, abandoning Islam for another faith, are subject to lengthy prison sentences, lashings and in some cases the death penalty. Iranian authorities have also banned the Bible in the country’s national language of Farsi, making it exceptionally difficult for converts to practise their faith openly.
According to reports from Middle Eastern outlets and human rights organisations, the convicted men were subjected to harsh treatment during their detention. Morteza Faghanpour Sasi, arrested in June and transferred to the notorious Evin prison, endured particularly brutal conditions.
His home was searched, religious books and images were confiscated, his mobile phone was seized, and he was subjected to violence during months of pretrial detention. Another defendant, arrested at his workplace on 12th June, had his personal belongings including his Bible confiscated during a raid on his home.
In August 2025, Iranian state television broadcast a propaganda documentary featuring what appeared to be forced confessions from Christian converts. The programme, produced with the participation of figures linked to Iranian security agencies, branded the converts as “evangelists” with ties to foreign entities, labelling them as collaborators and threats to national security.
Weeks after the men were sentenced, Pope Leo XIV addressed the issue during a private audience with representatives from Aid to the Church in Need International on Friday, 10th October, at the Vatican.
“Your visit is timely, for our world continues to witness rising hostility and violence against those who hold different convictions, including many Christians,” the Holy Father told the delegation. “In contrast, your mission proclaims that, as one family in Christ, we do not abandon our persecuted brothers and sisters.”
The first American-born pope, who has dual nationality with Peru, emphasised the Church’s unwavering commitment to those facing persecution. “Rather, we remember them, we stand with them, and we labour to secure their God-given freedoms,” Pope Leo XIV declared.
Drawing on Saint Paul’s words, the pontiff noted that “the suffering of any member of the body of Christ is shared by the entire Church”, highlighting the universal nature of Christian solidarity with those facing persecution.
Pope Leo XIV stressed that religious freedom is not a luxury or optional extra for societies, but rather an essential cornerstone of justice. “The right to religious freedom is not optional but essential,” he stated. “It is a cornerstone of any just society, for it safeguards the moral space in which conscience may be formed and exercised.”
The Holy Father went further, clarifying that religious liberty transcends mere legal frameworks. “Religious freedom, therefore, is not merely a legal right or a privilege granted to us by governments. It is a foundational condition that makes authentic reconciliation possible,” he explained.
The pope warned of the dangers when religious freedom is denied, noting that “the human person is deprived of the capacity to respond freely to the call of truth”. He described how such denials lead to societal breakdown: “What follows is a slow disintegration of the ethical and spiritual bonds that sustain communities. Trust gives way to fear, suspicion replaces dialogue, and oppression breeds violence.”
The case of the five Iranian converts is not isolated. Weeks before their sentencing, another Iranian Christian, Mehram Shamloui, 37, was sentenced to over 10 years in prison on charges relating to his faith, demonstrating a pattern of systematic persecution.
Despite the severe risks, Christianity in Iran has been experiencing remarkable growth. Gamaan, a secular Dutch research group, estimates that the number of Christians in Iran has reached its highest level ever, with approximately one million believers living in the predominantly Muslim country.
This underground expansion has occurred despite, or perhaps because of, intense government repression. A US State Department report on religious freedom in Iran underlines that “there is frequent discrimination and violence against Iran’s Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians”.
The review noted that during the tenure of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, there were calls for ending Christianity’s expansion within the country. “This has forced many Christian churches into hiding and forced various elements of their religious practice underground,” the State Department documented.
The report added: “Christians also suffer from official government bans on conversion from Islam (apostasy), which can result in a death sentence.” The charges against the five convicted men were brought under the notorious Articles 500 bis, 500 and 514 of the Islamic Penal Code.
During his address to Aid to the Church in Need, Pope Leo XIV praised the organisation’s Religious Freedom in the World Report, published every two years, as “a powerful instrument for raising awareness” that “bears witness, gives voice to the voiceless, and reveals the hidden suffering of many”.
The pontiff, who served as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru before his election as pope in May 2025, expressed personal gratitude for ACN’s support of his former diocese. “Your commitment also extends to supporting the Church’s mission across the world by reaching communities that are too often isolated, marginalised or under pressure,” he said.
“Wherever Aid to the Church in Need rebuilds a chapel, supports a religious sister, or provides for a radio station or a vehicle, you strengthen the life of the Church, as well as the spiritual and moral fabric of society,” the Holy Father continued.
The Pope specifically highlighted ACN’s work in the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso and Mozambique, where Christian minorities face significant challenges. He emphasised that supporting local Christians allows them to become peacemakers in their homelands, serving as “a living sign of social harmony and fraternity”.
Pope Leo XIV concluded his address with words of encouragement for the ACN delegation: “Do not grow weary of doing good, for your service bears fruit in countless lives and gives glory to our Father in heaven. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Hope, remain close to you and to all who suffer.”
The timing of the pope’s address coincides with the upcoming launch of ACN’s Religious Freedom in the World Report 2025 on 21st October in Rome. The delegation presented an advance copy to the Holy Father during the Friday audience.
As the five Iranian converts begin their lengthy prison sentences, their case serves as a stark reminder of the price many Christians pay for their faith in hostile environments. Pope Leo XIV’s call to action challenges the international community not to remain silent in the face of such persecution, but to actively defend the fundamental human right to religious freedom for all people, regardless of their beliefs.
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Image Credit:
Pope Leo XIV — photo by Edgar Beltrán, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
