Yes, there remains a minority Christian community in Iran, which shrunk after the Shah's ouster but in recent years has rebounded. I agree with you that Iran -- as oppressive as it is to Christians and to the entire general population -- has at least not attempted to eradicate the relatively small number of Christians in the country.
The government guarantees the recognized Christian minorities a number of rights (production and sale of non-halal foods),[citation needed] representation in parliament, special family law etc.[citation needed] According to US-based Barnabas Fund government intrusion, expropriation of property, forced closure and persecution, particularly in the initial years after the Iranian Revolution, have all been documented.[citation needed]
On 2 February 2018, four United Nations human rights experts said that members of the Christian minority in Iran, particularly those who have converted to Christianity, are facing severe discrimination and religious persecution in Iran. They expressed their concerns over treatment of three Iranian Christians imprisoned in Iran.[24]
Iranian Christians tend to be urban, with 50% living in Tehran.[25]
Christianity remains the second-largest non-Muslim minority religion in the country.[26]
A June 2020 online survey found a much smaller percentage of Iranians stating they believe in Islam, with half of those surveyed indicating they had lost their religious faith.[27] The poll, conducted by the Netherlands-based GAMAAN (Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in Iran), using online polling to provide greater anonymity for respondents, surveyed 50,000 Iranians and found 1.5% identified as Christians.[27][28]
Thank you for responding (and I truly do appreciate the data-based discussion). You were responding as I was responding in another comment. In researching the wiki references, the first one you cited, for overall religious freedom, says that “recognized” Christian communities (not sure what that means) “are relatively free to worship”.
The second reference you cited, #66, sounds particularly interesting and worth looking into further as do some of the other referenced material.
I’m fading fast here, too tired to respond further tonight, Narg, but will delve into this further tomorrow night if I can find time.
.
Reference #65:
“… Are individuals free to practice and express their religious faith or nonbelief in public and private? 0/4
Iran is home to a majority Shiite Muslim population and Sunni Muslim, Baha’i, Christian, and Zoroastrian minorities. The constitution recognizes only Zoroastrians, Jews, and certain Christian communities as non-Muslim religious minorities, and these small groups are relatively free to worship. The regime cracks down on Muslims who are deemed to be at variance with the state ideology and interpretation of Islam.
Sunni Muslims complain that they have been prevented from building mosques in major cities and face difficulty obtaining government jobs. In recent years, there has been increased pressure on the Sufi Muslim order Nematollahi Gonabadi, including destruction of its places of worship and the jailing of some of its members.
The government also subjects some non-Muslim minorities to repressive policies and discrimination, including Baha’is and unrecognized Christian groups. Baha’is are systematically persecuted, sentenced to prison, and banned from access to higher education. In May 2021, the Baha’i International Community reported on multiple raids of Baha’i homes, along with the detention of more than 20 people. Later that month, the Revolutionary Court of Borazjan issued prison sentences against six Baha’i; one defendant received an 11-year sentence for “propaganda activities against the regime” for discussing their faith, while the other five received 12-and-a-half-year sentences for “assisting in propaganda activities.” …”
Yes, there remains a minority Christian community in Iran, which shrunk after the Shah's ouster but in recent years has rebounded. I agree with you that Iran -- as oppressive as it is to Christians and to the entire general population -- has at least not attempted to eradicate the relatively small number of Christians in the country.
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Iran#Freedom_of_religion -
and
According to the main Wikipedia article on Iran, the population is over 87 million.
Again from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Iran#History --
Christianity remains the second-largest non-Muslim minority religion in the country.[26]
Thank you for responding (and I truly do appreciate the data-based discussion). You were responding as I was responding in another comment. In researching the wiki references, the first one you cited, for overall religious freedom, says that “recognized” Christian communities (not sure what that means) “are relatively free to worship”.
The second reference you cited, #66, sounds particularly interesting and worth looking into further as do some of the other referenced material.
I’m fading fast here, too tired to respond further tonight, Narg, but will delve into this further tomorrow night if I can find time.
.
Reference #65:
“… Are individuals free to practice and express their religious faith or nonbelief in public and private? 0/4
Iran is home to a majority Shiite Muslim population and Sunni Muslim, Baha’i, Christian, and Zoroastrian minorities. The constitution recognizes only Zoroastrians, Jews, and certain Christian communities as non-Muslim religious minorities, and these small groups are relatively free to worship. The regime cracks down on Muslims who are deemed to be at variance with the state ideology and interpretation of Islam.
Sunni Muslims complain that they have been prevented from building mosques in major cities and face difficulty obtaining government jobs. In recent years, there has been increased pressure on the Sufi Muslim order Nematollahi Gonabadi, including destruction of its places of worship and the jailing of some of its members.
The government also subjects some non-Muslim minorities to repressive policies and discrimination, including Baha’is and unrecognized Christian groups. Baha’is are systematically persecuted, sentenced to prison, and banned from access to higher education. In May 2021, the Baha’i International Community reported on multiple raids of Baha’i homes, along with the detention of more than 20 people. Later that month, the Revolutionary Court of Borazjan issued prison sentences against six Baha’i; one defendant received an 11-year sentence for “propaganda activities against the regime” for discussing their faith, while the other five received 12-and-a-half-year sentences for “assisting in propaganda activities.” …”
Just wanted to say It’s refreshing to read respectful communication back and forth with you and some other anons who may not agree ,, thank you !