Iran (MNN) — Iranian believers who lead home churches, evangelize, or are targeted by the Iranian government often have to escape the country. Yet, other difficulties arise.

Iranians love their culture. Their home. Their history. But when they find the highest love – Jesus – and want to share Him with others – they are often forced into an endless move of survival.

Robert Duncan from Middle East Concern says, “Persecution against Christian converts, in particular in Iran, is quite strong. A lot of people respond to that, at least by considering leaving their country.”

This often concerns Christian leaders, evangelists, Bible smugglers – and those less fortunate, caught by weak security or betrayal.

“Often, if the persecution is severe, they don’t have a lot of time to prepare. This means that they don’t have time, for example, to get a visa to a country that they would perhaps choose to go to,” adds Duncan.

People are mourning for Imam Hossein in Hosseinieh Habibi, Khansar (Photo courtesy of Hasan Almasi via Unsplash)

If Iranian believers are arrested for their faith and forced to pay bail, it often costs them their property. Duncan explains, “It impoverishes them, and that means they don’t have a lot of financial resources to leave the country or to set up life anywhere else.”

For a quick escape, most choose visa-free neighbors: Türkiye, Armenia, or Georgia. But new challenges await.

Their first hurdle is legalizing their stay, usually through an asylum claim, proving they had a solid reason to leave. “They also have to demonstrate that it isn’t safe for them to return,” Duncan says, “and that if they were to go back to Iran, they would likely face severe rights violations.”

Authorities demand solid evidence — medical records, audio or video threats, witness statements, or other documented proof of danger. This evidence is often difficult to obtain once outside Iran.

Yet, even with proof, many Christian refugees are still denied. “There used to be many more [accepted cases], but the world is going through an asylum crisis at the moment,” Duncan explains.

And if accepted, life in the system offers little healthcare, education, or work. After a few years, many are released into uncertainty, rotating between those three countries.

“They’re in a situation where they don’t know when it’s going to end, and it can be very wearing,” Duncan says, adding that the pressures often strain relationships and daily survival.

Pray for Iranian believers seeking a safe home! And pray for religious freedom in Iran so believers can thrive without needing to flee.

Middle East Concern — together with Article 18, CSW, and Open Doors International — has published reports highlighting the plight of Iranian Christians seeking International protection in both Georgia and Türkiye. Check out these reports to uncover what’s happening — and see how you can pray and help!

Header photo courtesy of Anthony Nguyen via Pexels.