Climate: mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast
Terrain: rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts
Environment Issues: air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization
Languages: Persian (official), Azeri Turkic and Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic
Government Type: theocratic republic
URGENT is engaged in the following activities within Iran:
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Church Planting
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Discipleship
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Resources
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Training
Though Chistians from Muslim backgrounds are the most persecuted in Iran, those living in dense populations are able to pursue their new-found faith with some level of anonymity. Thankfully, because many Iranian Muslims are nominal followers, some new Christians are actually accepted by their families. Underground church leaders and members are vulnerable and subject to imprisonment if discovered. Their meetings are considered “crimes against national security.” (Source: Open Doors)
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Pray for opportunities for Christians to share their faith with their nominally Muslim family members.
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Pray for imprisoned Christians to be encouraged in their faith as they wait to be released.
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Pray that Armenian and Syrian Christians, who are allowed to practice their faith in their own country, would have the courage to share their faith with their Muslim neighbors even though it’s unlawful to do so.
