Iranian Ayatollah’s “Secret Security” Pressure Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani
New developments for Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, the Christian pastor sentenced to death in Iran, may be an effort by Ayatollah Khamenei to entrap him. Our contacts have notified us that agents of the Ministry of Intelligence and National Security of Iran, commonly referred to as Iran’s Secret Security, visited Pastor Youcef in jail and provided him with printed Islamic propaganda. This propaganda contained information as to why, according to Iran, Islam is the one true faith. The agents requested that Pastor Youcef read and reflect on the materials, instructing him that they would return to discuss the materials with him at a later date.
It is unclear whether this visit was an attempt to entrap Pastor Youcef into saying something against Islam, therefore subjecting him to additional punishments for blasphemy; or whether the agents were trying to do away with the international scandal by allowing Pastor Youcef another opportunity to recant his Christian faith and choose to join the Islamic faith.
We can be certain, however, that this development is the result of increasing international pressure on the Iranian regime. With Pastor Youcef’s case before the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, it is no surprise that security agents, who answer directly to the Supreme Leader, would try to either do away with the case or provide an alternative justification for continued punishment.
Despite Iran’s best efforts to maintain secrecy, we are happy to report that contacts in Iran confirmed that Pastor Youcef was alive as of yesterday afternoon. Your prayers and support for Pastor Youcef are being heard around the world and despite the horrible conditions in Iran, Pastor Youcef is reported as being in good health, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
International pressure against the Iranian regime continues to mount – but it must be sustained until Pastor Youcef is released unconditionally. With your support we will not give the Iranian regime what it desires – silence from the international community. We will continue to put pressure on government officials and on the United Nations to continue to pressure Iran on its blatant disregard for human rights.