Iran regime ramps up crackdown on persecuted Christians after US sanctions

[Swordsmyth]

U.S. sanctions on Iran have inadvertently led to a crackdown on its persecuted Christian community as the ayatollahs move to consolidate their power in the face of growing unrest across the country.
The U.S. on Tuesday re-imposed a wave of robust sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic’s automobile industry, precious metal trade, and a ban on purchasing U.S. dollars.
Meanwhile, the plight of Iran’s persecuted Christian community has become significantly worse over the past few weeks, with the Islamic Republic ramping up prison terms and other judicial actions.

A #Christian couple have reported that a court in Boushehr has just sentenced them & 10 other #Iranian Christians to one year in prison each for "Propagating against the Islamic Republic in favour of Christianity". This group of Christian converts were arrested on April 7th, 2015 pic.twitter.com/Q8omy4iYUa
— Article 18 (@articleeighteen) August 9, 2018

Jeff King, president of the Washington D.C.-based International Christian Concern, told FoxNews.com: “Iran’s regime is under a great amount of pressure right now.
“Poor economic conditions combined with the harshness of their Islamic rule has led to massive unrest that has defined the country for months.
“There are many reports that this has contributed to the government’s ever-increasing dependence on hardline Islamic ayatollahs, who naturally see Christianity as a threat to their power. For this reason, it’s not surprising that we’re seeing an increase in Christian persecution.”
Article18, an organization that promotes religious freedom and supports Iran’s repressed Christians, tweeted on Thursday: “A Christian couple have reported that a court in Boushehr has just sentenced them & 10 other Iranian Christians to one year in prison each for ‘Propagating against the Islamic Republic in favor of Christianity.’ This group of Christian converts were arrested on April 7th, 2015.”
Christian website Mohabat News also reported that the Iranian couple, who were part of a group of converts, were charged with “orientation toward the land of Christianity.”

“Getting information on the arrests of Christians is incredibly challenging given the heavily censored nature of Iran, but based on the cases we have been tracking, this is the first time this year that we’ve seen a jail sentence being given based on the charge of ‘inclination to the land of Christianity’,” King said.


“This could be interpreted as a reference to Israel, the birthplace of Christianity and also a country that Iran has adopted a very aggressive stance towards.”
Peter Kohanloo, the president of the U.S.-based Iranian American Majority organization, told FoxNews.com: “Today, some of the worst persecution against Christians is meted out by the regime in Iran.
“The new round of sanctions is putting the ruling mullahs under pressure, and they are lashing out by arresting evangelical converts.”

More at: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/08...sanctions.html

[r3volution 3.0]

O goodie, yet additional benefits to this policy (other than increased oil prices and prospects for war, I mean)

[goldenequity]

I smell something funny.
smells
like
Langley.

(gee... ain't the 'timing' eerily similar to Erdogan/Turkey and the jailed 'pastor'?)
(gee... you don't think the CIA would stoop so low as to use 'Christianity' as a cover do ya? Well DO YA??? hahaha)
wait.. this is FOX. fair. balanced.
nvr mind.
carry on.