Спираль насилия в Иране угрожает "уже хрупкому" христианскому меньшинству, предупреждает благотворительная организация

Оngoing violence stemming from United States and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed its supreme leader and regime leaders could threaten an “already fragile” Christian population, an international Catholic charity has warned.

Aid to the Church in Need issued a statement on Monday expressing concern over the status of Christian communities throughout the Middle East, especially in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.

ACN International Executive President Regina Lynch stated that a “new spiral of violence could push already fragile communities beyond the point of survival.” ACN teams on the ground are noting a "growing anxiety."

“The longing for freedom and dignity among peoples in the region is legitimate,” stated Lynch. “But the price of renewed war would be extremely high. Civilians always suffer most, and Christians are often among the most defenseless.”

“A renewed wave of destruction would be almost impossible for these communities to endure. … Many Christians have already emigrated and, with a renewed war, are unlikely to return. Those who remain are often elderly, poor, and deeply anxious about the future.”

In Iran, ACN noted that many small Christian communities face official discrimination, while converts to Christianity in the Islamic Republic are “especially vulnerable” to attack. The Islamic Republic is ranked as the 10th worst country in the world for Christian persecution, according to watchdog Open Doors 2026 World Watch List report.

The charity also voiced concerns about the Christian community in neighboring Iraq, noting that Christians there have only recently rebuilt after Islamic extremist attacks in recent years. There is also continued uncertainty for Christians in Syria that has been ongoing since the toppling of the Bashar al-Assad regime in 2024 after several years of civil war.

Призыв к молитве и солидарности

“We call for prayer and solidarity,” concluded Lynch. “Whatever the political developments may be, the Christian presence and the Church’s mission in the Middle East must continue.”

On Saturday, the U.S. and Israel conducted a series of strikes on Iran, reportedly hitting several military and government targets in Tehran and elsewhere in the Middle Eastern nation. Thus far, the attacks have led to the death of Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking officials, as well as several civilians.

In response, Iran has launched several missile attacks against Israel and U.S. military positions in the region. One missile struck the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh on Sunday, killing nine people. At least six military personnel were confirmed as dead from an Iranian strike on an operations center at a civilian port in Kuwait on Sunday, a source familiar with the situation told CNN.

“We pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen,” President Donald Trump said in a video on Sunday. “And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is. Likely be more, but we’ll do everything possible where that won’t be the case.”

Iran was rocked by widespread anti-regime protests late last year due to economic problems and growing discontent with the regime. Reports suggest that tens of thousands of demonstrators were killed in the ensuing crackdowns.

Diana Eltahawy, deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa for Amnesty International, was among those denouncing the Iranian regime’s crackdown on the demonstrations. “People in Iran daring to express their anger at decades of repression and demand fundamental change are once again being met with a deadly pattern of security forces unlawfully firing at, chasing, arresting and beating protesters,” said Eltahawy in a statement in January.

“Iran’s top security body, the Supreme National Security Council, must immediately issue orders for security forces to stop the unlawful use of force and firearms.”

Lana Silk, the president and CEO of Transform Iran, an Iranian-led Christian ministry and humanitarian organization actively serving people in Iran, said the military attack targeting Iranian leadership was “inevitable and sadly necessary.”

“No one wants the loss of life, but the loss of life was continuing — and likely at much higher numbers than a targeted, decisive war will deliver,” Silk said in a statement shared with The Christian Post. “While every innocent life lost is a tragedy, we must recognize that the Iranian people have endured 47 years of systemic brutality under this regime, particularly worsened in recent weeks. Tens of thousands have died, and many more have been traumatized. There is no ‘normal’ in the way this government deals with its own people.”

“This was a situation that was impossible for Iranians to take any further without outside help,” she asserted. “They welcome intervention by the West and have pleaded for it for a long time.”