Iran (MNN) — United Nations head Antonio Guterres urges the United States to lift all sanctions on Iran, as promised under a 2015 nuclear deal. Talks aimed at reviving the deal are underway, and the UN Security Council will meet on Tuesday for further discussion.
This 2013 photo depicts Ebrahim Raisi (right) and Mostafa Pourmohammadi (left), two members of the “Judges of Death” committee. Both became high-rank officials.
(Photo courtesy of Siamak Ebrahimi/Wikimedia Commons)
At the same time, a UN human rights expert calls for a closer look at president-elect Ebrahim Raisi’s role in Iran’s 1988 killings. In an interview with Reuters, UN investigator Javaid Rehman noted his concern about “mass graves” reportedly being destroyed as part of an ongoing cover-up.
To date, Iran has never acknowledged the killings, nor Raisi’s role as one of the four judges on a so-called “death panel.” More about that here.
“Many Iranians call Ebrahim Raisi ‘the hangman’ or the ‘Butcher of Tehran’,” Heart4Iran’s Mike Ansari says.
“In 1988, he was involved in the mass execution of 5,000 political prisoners; some say that number was as high as 30,000.”
As head of Iran’s judicial system, Raisi also intensified a crackdown on religious minorities.
“In January, six UN rapporteurs asked him about the alleged systematic persecution of Christians in Iran. He said house churches are enemy groups belonging to a Zionist cult with anti-security purposes,” Ansari says.
“This is probably a foreshadowing of what is yet to come for Iran’s fast-growing converts from Islam to Christianity.”
Pray for peace and stability in Iran. “Iran is losing its Muslim population to secularism. The regime has lost its legitimacy among the people of Iran,” Ansari says.
“The Supreme Leader’s solution is to put Raisi, his former student, in charge of a total authoritarian rule. That is why he was elected. Things will get tough for everyone. “
Ask the Lord to protect His followers in Iran and set the captives free.
“Pray for a great wave of the Holy Spirit in Iran to continue bringing disillusioned Muslims to Jesus Christ. Pray that the death curses are spoken against Christians be broken and turned into a blessing,” Ansari asks.
“He (Raisi) was involved in overseeing death sentences for over 620 Iranians that were members of minority groups. … [under his leadership], we anticipate an increase in the persecution of Christians, abuse of religious freedom, and further repression of civil liberties.”
Header image is a 2016 photo of Ebrahim Raisi when he ran as a candidate for the 2017 Iranian presidential election. (Wikimedia Commons)
