Iran

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, made a statement on Friday describing Israel as a "cancerous tumor" and declaring Iran's support for anyone who opposes the Jewish nation.

Khamenei also warned the U.S. about any attacks against Iran, saying that the country will continue its nuclear program regardless of international pressure and will only grow stronger, Mirror.co.uk shared.

His speech, which was aired in Iran on state TV, contained some notably hostile remarks against Israel. more >>

Megachurch pastor Rick Warren has taken to the social media platform Twitter to request prayers for Iranian pastor Behnam Irani, who is currently serving a five year sentence in an Iranian prison for crimes against national security.

"Pray for our dear pastor Behnam Irani who's been severely beaten in prison in Iran for preaching Jesus," Warren tweeted late Wednesday night.

This isn't the first report of Irani suffering beatings in prison. Jason DeMars, Founder of Present Truth Ministries, told The Christian Messenger in Dec. 2011 that "[Irani has] been daily beaten up by criminals there in the prison. The criminals have been asked to do it by the authorities there." more >>

An Iranian Revolutionary Court sentenced Iranian Christian convert Leila Mohammadi to two years in prison earlier this month.

Mohammadi's trial was held on Jan. 18, and the court charged the young woman with "collaboration with foreign-dependent groups, broad propaganda, deceiving citizens by formation of what is called a house church, insulting sacred figures, and actions against national security."

Mohammadi was arrested on July 30, 2011 when Iranian police officials stormed her home located in east Tehran, confiscated her belongings, and threw her in solitary confinement at Tehran's infamous Evin prison. more >>

Members of the German parliament have joined the global community in pressuring the Iranian government to free evangelical Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who remains in prison with a pending death verdict for alleged apostasy.

A commission in the German Bundestag (the national parliament) recently gathered signatures from Parliament members in a petition for Nadarkhani's release, local media have reported. Parliament members reportedly asked the Iranian government to overturn Nadarkhani's death sentence and to exonerate the embattled pastor – who has now become almost an international poster child for Christian martyrs – according to Iranian Christian news agency Mohabat News.

At the same time, signatories noted in the petition the existence of "restrictions that limit them in influencing the Iranian regime regarding political and Human Rights issues," the agency reported. more >>

In the age of the Internet, radio is helping spread the Gospel in the Middle East. The Michigan-based ministry Words of Hope (WOH) broadcasts an hourlong daily radio program in Farsi for Christians and Muslims in Iran.

David Bast, president of WOH, told The Christian Post that "radio continues to be a powerful tool that often we overlook because it's old fashioned. It's not the newest technology, it's not sexy, but it's a powerful medium because it can avoid gatekeepers."

Since the Arab Spring, many young Iranians are looking for alternatives to Islam. There has "been a reaction against Islam because of the government that's in place," he noted, adding that "a great number of the younger generation is questioning Islam itself." He stressed the importance or reaching Iranians through radio at such a time. more >>

In an effort to contain Iran's growing nuclear program, the European Union announced Monday its intent to implement an embargo on Iranian oil as well as increase trade restrictions. Meanwhile, experts say it is likely that Israel, threatened by such a nuclear program, may feel pressured to attack if the international community cannot keep the Iranian regime's nuclear aspirations in check. 

These new restrictions from the EU place an intensified amount of pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear productivity. The United States, the European Union and the United Nations have all expressed concern over Iran's secret nuclear program, which Iran claims is used for creating nuclear energy.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Department of the Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner released a statement Monday, supporting the E.U.'s decision to place an embargo on Iranian oil. more >>