Iran’s Threat to Pastor Youcef and the World

Iran poses one of the greatest threats to freedom in the world today. One needs to look no further than the latest news headlines to come to this realization.

However, Iran – which doesn’t hesitate to brutalize its own people and terrorize the world – is still a threat that can be neutralized.

Iran continues to be the “most active state sponsor of terrorism” according to the U.S. State Department’s latest report. In fact, earlier this month, when Islamic Jihad unleashed a deadly assault on Israeli civilians, the terror group’s spokesman publicly praised Iran for its involvement, stating, “We are proud and honored to say that Iran gives us support.”

Last month, Iran was caught red-handed in an attempt to orchestrate a massive terror plot right here in the U.S. to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. and bomb the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C.

Earlier this year, two American hikers were finally released after being held in prison for two years on unsubstantiated charges that they were spies. The only reason that Iran released them was because of international pressure.

Iran is certainly no better in the treatment of it’s own citizens. An Iranian actress was sentenced to 90 lashes – a virtual death sentence – for appearing in a movie critical of the regime without a Muslim head covering. She was only released after immense international pressure.

As you know, Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who we have been working to free, was sentenced to death, just for being a Christian. This sentence would have likely been carried out months ago were it not for unprecedented amounts of international pressure spurred by groups like the ACLJ and our members.

While the situation for Pastor Youcef and others is dim, there are signs that international pressure is working. As Pastor Youcef’s Iranian attorney reported to us, he has seen a marked decrease in apostasy prosecutions since Pastor Youcef’s case garnered international scrutiny.

Now, the United Nations has confirmed that Iran is hard a work developing a nuclear weapons program and has been doing so since at least 2003. It is clear that if Iran obtained nuclear weapons, it would not hesitate a moment to launch them at Israel and anywhere else its rockets are able to reach.

Iran would also become virtually impervious to international criticism for its sponsorship of terrorism and its vast human rights abuses.

There is little question that the international pressure that worked to obtain the release of the American hikers, the actress, and that has kept Pastor Youcef alive and helped other persecuted Christians in Iran, would not have the same effect on a nuclear Iran.

It is critical that we continue to pressure the Iranian regime – through tough sanctions – to prevent it from achieving nuclear weapons. Please join our petition to Congress, urging the implementation of tough new sanctions on Iran while there is still time.

We will continue to keep you informed and will continue working with the State Department, Pastor Youcef’s Iranian attorney, and the international media to secure Pastor Youcef’s release.