FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: March 2, 2026
Tel: 202-682-4131
Email: info@indefenseofchristians.org
Washington, DC – In Defense of Christians (IDC), America’s leading advocacy organization for Christians in the Middle East, supports the Iranian people’s aspiration for freedom following the death of Ayatollah Khamenei and urges the protection of religious minorities.
For forty-seven years, Iran’s theocratic Shi’a regime, led by its Ayatollahs, has enforced brutal repression at home and exported carnage across the region, including support for Hezbollah, Hamas, Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and other proxies that have destabilized the region.
The Islamic regime is characterized by harsh suppression of peaceful dissent, summary executions, and systematic persecution of religious minorities. Christians in Iran have endured imprisonment, forced labor, exile, and worsening human rights violations in recent years, even as broader protests have rippled through the country calling for dignity and freedom.
IDC recognizes this pivotal moment as an opportunity for the Iranian people to pursue true freedom and an end to decades of theocratic repression. This moment must lead not merely to regime change, but to the affirmation of universal human rights—particularly religious freedom, equal citizenship, and protection for all minorities long oppressed under theocratic rule.
We urge the United States and the international community to support the people of Iran in this critical transition. Policies and diplomatic engagement must emphasize accountability for past abuses, protection of religious and civil liberties, and practical support for Iranian civil society, including Christian communities and other vulnerable groups, as they seek a future rooted in dignity.
“The winds of change are blowing across Iran, and the end of a brutal and repressive regime is a welcome and necessary moment for the Iranian people,” said IDC Executive Director Richard Ghazal. “But the fall of a dictator is only the beginning. Lasting freedom will require the establishment of a framework that guarantees religious liberty, equal protection under the law, and full human dignity for every Iranian.”
In Defense of Christians (IDC) is a Washington-based advocacy organization dedicated to defending Christians and religious minorities in the Middle East through policy advocacy, legislative engagement, and public awareness initiatives.
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