A leader of a Christian ministry to Iran sees new hope for regime change and religious freedom following recent events, predicting a swift collapse of the current government.



An Iranian-born leader of a prominent Christian ministry to Iran says he sees new hope in the aftermath of the Ayatollah’s death and believes regime change is imminent – a development he says could bring long-awaited freedom to Christians in the country.

Hormoz Shariat was raised Muslim and took part in the 1979 anti-American protests that fueled the Iranian Revolution before traveling to the United States for his education – and later coming to faith in Christ. He founded Iran Alive Ministries in 2000 to distribute Bibles and spread the gospel across the nation through technology, even as Christians in Iran faced ongoing persecution and opposition.

Crosswalk Headlines spoke to Shariat two days after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeted Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure, killing senior regime figures – including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – and swiftly reshaping the nation’s political and cultural landscape.

He estimates no more than 10 to 15 percent of Iran supported the Ayatollah.

“Regime change is coming up – how fast? We don't know,” he told Crosswalk Headlines. “... It wasn't just the Supreme Leader [who was killed]. About 40 of the top commanders and figures in Iran were killed over the last two days. So they're scrambling together. How much they can survive, we don't know. They pretend to be strong – but the Iranian government could collapse.

“And my opinion is when it collapses, it's going to be so sudden – they will show themselves very strong, just like Ayatollah showed [to be] strong, and then suddenly they will be gone. It could happen this week, even, or maybe the next few weeks or a few months, but it's going to be gone.”

Shariat believes the next leader of Iran most likely will be Reza Pahlavi, the 65-year-old son of the country’s last shah. Pahlavi, often referred to as the “Crown Prince,” has emerged as a leading opposition figure in exile.

The 10 to 15 percent of the population that supported the Ayatollah, he said, did so because they were paid.

“Iranians love America, admire America. They love Israel. They admire Israel. And they want to [have] a democracy American-style. So be ready. … Very soon – Iran, Israel, and the U.S. will be close friends.”

Iran Alive Ministries has seen more than 120,000 Iranians convert to Christianity in spite of immense opposition from the government.

“Attending a house church is very dangerous, and the government is very against it,” he said. “... Sometimes I feel [the] Iranian government believes in the power of church more than we do. They don't want Christians to get together. So being a Christian in Iran is dangerous, and you could be arrested – and not just because you're a Christian. When they arrest Christians, they say you're an agent of Israel, an agent of [the] CIA, you're a political activist against the government.”

Shariat’s ultimate goal is a new government that guarantees religious freedom – a change he says would open the door to widespread church planting across the country.

“When [the] Iranian government falls, we have a plan. It's very possible that we will be able to plan tens – maybe hundreds of churches – in the first three to four months.”

In the meantime, the current government continues to block internet service – a tactic first deployed during earlier protests in which tens of thousands were reportedly killed – cutting off Shariat’s ability to broadcast into the country. Authorities have also disrupted satellite transmissions carrying foreign channels, including Iran Alive Ministries’ programming, potentially by pressuring or financially incentivizing Arab-owned satellite operators to pull the signal, Shariat says.

“They don't want the Iranians to connect with each other,” Shariat said.

Shariat is urging Christians around the world to pray for Iran.

“The massacre that happened last month opened the heavens in Iran for a new number of Iranians to come to Christ,” he said. “I've seen that. I've seen a new surge in the number of salvations just the last two months – people who used to be fanatical Muslims. They saw this massacre, they [said], ‘Islam is not the way. I'm not going to follow it.’”

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