Turkiye (MNN) — An Iranian pastor who fled his own country is now facing threats of deportation from Turkiye, where he has lived and ministered for the past decade. Mojtaba Ahmadi is facing unclear and contested immigration charges despite his efforts to seek refugee status. If he returns to Iran, Ahmadi faces potential further imprisonment, torture, or even execution.
Christianity in Turkiye
Joel Richardson with Global Catalytic Ministries says Turkiye regularly concocts false charges to hide religious persecution. High profile American cases include those of Andrew Brunsen and Jeremiah Mattix.
“We’re seeing this across the board, where Turkey is putting the pressure on, arresting, or driving out ministries and pastors,” says Richardson.
That these individuals are a threat to Turkiye’s national security is a common charge. With such a categorization, there is no way to hold the government accountable for religious persecution. Richardson says the actions align with Turkiye’s strategy to revive Ottoman supremacy over the Middle East.
“Everything is geared toward the government returning to an Islamic Ottoman model of yesteryear,” he says.
To the extent that they seek to entwine Islamic views in governmental policy, Richardson likens the mindset of Sunni Turks to that of Iran’s Shia revolutionaries in the 1970s.
“This is drastically going to affect geopolitics, religious freedoms, and really just the contours of the geopolitical landscape of the entire region,” he says.
Christianity in Iran
Iranian cityscape. Courtesy of Mario via Pixabay.
Meanwhile, in Iran, the government’s response to Christianity is swift and strong. Richardson says Christians there receive more than a slap on the wrist when detained.
“They’re going to be treated really harshly, and even in some cases there are threats of execution,” he says.
Increasingly, Iranian authorities and their associated army, IRGC, are claiming to operate under the authority of apocalyptic figure Mahdi. According to a 2022 paper from the Middle East Institute:
“From the post-2009 period onwards, the doctrine of Mahdism has become one of the main prisms through which the IRGC and affiliated hardline clerics would understand the world around them and the IRGC’s actions, as well as communicate that understanding.”
In Richardson’s words:
“Think of it as a government, but it’s also a cult. And the only way they’re able to exert control over people is through this cultish doctrine.”
Under this mindset, conversion to Christianity is a threat to government authority. What’s more, financial struggles are compounding the government’s fight to retain power. Richardson says the confluence of factors creates a mafia-like environment.
“Citizens turn each other in, and that’s how they gain favor with the government and have a better opportunity for financial gain,” he says.
In this landscape, simply being a Christian puts Iranians at risk. Even amidst threats of violence, believers know they have no recourse.
“And so it’s this type of psychological terror that the government uses and holds over the Christians,” Richardson says.
How to pray
While persecution does often strengthen the church, Richardson points out that it’s not always that cut and dry.
“The reality is that oftentimes persecution does cause people to leave the faith,” he says.
Please pray for the joyful endurance of the saints in both Turkiye and Iran. Luke 21:19 promises, “By your endurance, you will gain your lives.” Pray also for the protection and restoration of Pastor Mojtaba Ahmadi.
Featured photo courtesy of Keenan Constance via Unsplash.
