The US State Department has condemned Iran’s escalating repression of Christians, spotlighting the case of Ghazal Marzban, a 42-year-old Catholic woman currently on hunger strike in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison. Marzban was sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for practicing her Christian faith, according to Iranian experts cited by Fox News Digital.

Arrests of Christians in Iran have more than doubled, rising from 139 in 2024 to 254 in 2025. Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports that Marzban remains detained amid this intensified crackdown.

The crackdown follows a brutal January crackdown in which the Iranian regime reportedly killed up to 45,000 demonstrators within 48 hours, including as many as 22 Christians. Security forces arrested large numbers of protestors in the aftermath.

The State Department spokesperson stated, "We reaffirm our unwavering solidarity with the people of Iran and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political and wrongfully detained prisoners, including those facing persecution for peacefully exercising their fundamental freedoms."

Additionally, reports indicate that Iranian authorities are evicting approximately 20 Armenian and Assyrian families from a large Christian compound in Tehran under a Revolutionary Court order dormant since 1998. Hengaw, a human rights monitoring organization, also reported plans by the regime to seize the St. Peter Church in Tehran.

Despite international attention, pressure on Iran has not eased. Observers note an escalation and the implementation of more hardline policies targeting religious minorities.

Sources