“He is after people’s hearts” – testimonies from Iran

In the darkness that is shadowing Iran, God is present and at work. This testimony comes from a local partner who was able to contact a believer inside the country.

The telephone rings. Mahsa* holds her breath. Communication with people inside Iran remains an extremely difficult feat because of the government limiting connection to the outside world – she isn’t sure if it will work, but she tries anyway. 

At last, the call’s beeping sound breaks, and the voice of a woman comes through. It’s Leila*, a Christian in Iran with news to share. 

“It had been more than 20 days of waiting. I had no idea what I would hear from my brothers and sisters, nor how I could possibly encourage them,” Mahsa shares. When she heard Leila speak, it was almost miraculous. 

Unexpected hope 

Leila spoke quickly to reassure her. “We are all safe. I don’t know how long I can talk, but I need to tell you – God is moving. Even in these dark days, He is after people’s hearts.” 

Mahsa was surprised, it not being the update she expected to hear, but continued to listen. 

“Before the war, I shared about Jesus with a friend. She heard the gospel, but she wasn’t interested,” Leila explained. “After the protests, I saw her again and this time, she told me she wanted to accept Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. Surprised, I asked her ‘Why?’ and she told me a short story.  

“During the protests, when the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] forces began shooting people on the streets, someone she didn’t even know stepped in front of her, becoming her shield. He took the bullet, and she survived. In that moment, when this stranger gave his life for her, she heard Jesus speaking to her. The voice said: ‘This is how I gave my life to save you, to give you eternal life.’” 

God with us 

Mahsa was deeply moved by what she heard from Leila. She had been praying to be able to offer some form of encouragement to brothers and sisters enduring great suffering in Iran and, instead, she had been encouraged. Despite the great breach she felt between her and believers in the country, she was reminded that God was there, with His people. 

“Even when I cannot be there, God is there,” she says. “He is saving lives, reaching hearts and turning even the most horrific situations into moments of salvation. He has His ways.” 

A mere few minutes’ conversation was enough to bolster Mahsa’s faith, reminding her that, despite the chaos unfolding, God is in control. It recalls Joseph’s faith-fuelled words to his brothers in Genesis, a promise which holds true for our persecuted family in Iran and throughout the world: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20) 

A holy time in Iran

Holy Week is, of course, a time for particular reflection for Christian communities around the world. It is a period of sombre commemorating – and jubilant celebrating. Easter also reminds Iranian believers of ther true source of unshakeable hope.

Mousa* is an Iranian church leader and partner serving in the diaspora, walking closely with house churches and believers inside Iran. Through years of ministry, he has witnessed both the quiet resilience and the heavy burdens carried by Iranian Christians, especially in times of crisis like the current war. “The grief is real, the uncertainty is real, and yet somehow, in the middle of darkness, there remains a stubborn hope that refuses to die,” he says.

“The war has left a deep paradox in the hearts of many Iranians: sorrow and joy, fear and hope, despair and longing for life. Many have watched pain spread across families, cities, and memories. Even for those living in other countries, the burden is still heavy.”

Reflecting on Ezekiel

During Holy Week, there is a particular Old Testament passage that speaks to Mousa – and echoes into the experiences of Iranian Christians today.

“In Ezekiel 37, the prophet is taken to a valley full of dry bones,” he says. “They speak of loss, exhaustion, ruin and a people who feel cut off from their future. It is the image of a nation that has suffered too much, waited too long, and begun to wonder whether life can ever return.”

Many Iranians, he says, recognise themselves in that valley. “The pain of separation, the wounds of conflict, the fear caused by war and the heaviness of exile can make the soul feel like dry bones scattered in a valley.” Yet in that valley, God asks a question that is humanly and logically, impossible: “Can these bones live?”

From a human point of view, the answer is no. But from God’s point of view, the answer differs. “God tells Ezekiel to speak to the bones. And as he obeys, the bones come together, flesh appears, and breath enters them. What was dead begins to live again. What was scattered is gathered. What was hopeless is filled with the breath of God.”

For Mousa, this is why Ezekiel 37 speaks so powerfully into this Holy Week. On Good Friday, the cross looked like defeat. Jesus was crucified, buried and laid in the tomb. Hope seemed crushed. The disciples were full of grief and confusion. “But, Easter morning revealed the great paradox of God: out of death came life, out of suffering came victory, and out of the grave came resurrection,” declares Mousa. “The same Spirit who breathed into the dry bones, the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the grave, is the Spirit who still gives life today.”

Easter hope

That is the Easter hope for Iranian Christians when their nation is in waiting, similar to the long Holy Saturday. “Even under the shadow of war, God gives life. Even in displacement, God gives presence. Even in grief, God plants resurrection hope. Even when the heart feels dry and tired, the Spirit of God is still able to breathe life again.”

This is the paradox Iranians carry: they weep, yet they rejoice. They remember pain, yet they proclaim hope. They see darkness, yet they know the tomb is empty. For Iranian believers, Easter is not only a remembrance of a past event, but a present reality. As Mousa puts it: “It is the declaration that the risen Christ is present now. He sees our sorrow. He knows our longing for our people. He understands our hidden tears. And by His Spirit, He is still bringing life where death seems to reign.”

Please pray 

It has been over a month since the beginning of the war in Iran, and conflict and uncertainty rage on. Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters, 

• For freedom and protection for all prisoners in Iran, including Christians, especially given the deteriorating prisons situation with the ongoing conflict 

• For comfort and strength for the families of those who have been killed, executed, imprisoned or injured 

• For the protection of children and civilians in war zones. Pray that children are not forced to fight but are taken care of in safe spaces 

• For protection, strength, and blessing over the church across all nations affected. May it continue to be a good witness amid conflict and difficult living conditions 

• For healing, care and support for the sick and vulnerable. Pray for provision of medicine and care for those suffering from serious illnesses and those injured 

• Pray for wisdom, guidance, and protection for all those who serve the Iranian church – it is indeed a difficult time but also a ground for opportunities 

• For protection of people in regions affected by this war and for an end to the bloodshed. 

• That God’s light will overcome the darkness and bring a hopeful future for Iran. 

*Names changed for security reasons