A Christian advocacy group has issued an urgent appeal for international intervention as humanitarian conditions in Iran continue to worsen, warning that shortages of medicine, food and essential supplies are placing millions of vulnerable people at risk.

United Christian Activists (UCA) said ordinary Iranians are finding it increasingly difficult to obtain crucial medicine, medical equipment and daily necessities, with the crisis posing a serious threat to children, the elderly, low-income families and those with chronic illnesses.

The group argued that the suffering of Iranian civilians should not be viewed simply as the result of external political pressure or international efforts to challenge the Islamic Republic.

“The reality is that a significant portion of the pressure on the Iranian people today is the direct result of the crisis-generating, war-driven, and tension-escalating policies of the Islamic Republic, policies pursued not to protect the interests of the people, but to preserve the power structure, suppress domestic discontent, prevent the emergence of the public’s protests, and exert pressure on international bodies to compel them to restrain actions by the United States and Israel,” UCA said.

The group accused the Iranian authorities of effectively using the suffering of ordinary citizens as a political tool.

It said shortages of medicine, soaring food prices, reduced access to essential goods and the collapse of livelihoods have become part of daily life for many Iranians.

UCA also alleged that foreign aid intended for civilians has at times been diverted by state-linked organizations or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) into illicit resale networks or to allied groups beyond Iran’s borders, including Hezbollah.

The group called on the European Union, European governments, churches, humanitarian organizations and human rights institutions to establish secure and effective routes for delivering medicine, healthcare equipment and food supplies directly to civilians.

It also urged policymakers to make a clear distinction between ordinary Iranians and the governing authorities, and to hold the government accountable for what it described as “creating and perpetuating this situation.”

The statement criticized what it called the silence of some international institutions and activist movements that have been vocal about humanitarian crises elsewhere but have not spoken out about the crisis in Iran.

“Humanitarian principles, if truly universal, must not be selective, political, or dependent on geographical considerations,” UCA stated. 

It added: “As United Christian Activists, grounded in our faith in the inherent dignity of every human being and our moral  responsibility toward the suffering of others, we call on the international community at this critical moment to stand not with the government, but with the people of Iran, and to take immediate, clear, and effective action to prevent the  expansion of this humanitarian catastrophe.”

The warning comes amid growing instability in the region and renewed discussion among Christian organizations about the future of Iran.

Eastern European Mission (EEM) recently said the conflict in the Middle East could create what it described as a “historic opportunity” to spread the Gospel in Iran, where Christian activity is heavily restricted.

Open Doors ranks Iran as the 10th worst country in the world for Christian persecution.

Leaving Islam is outlawed and converts risk the death penalty. Similarly, historic Christian communities often face discrimination and government scrutiny.

Churches in Iran are reported to face police raids, with restrictions often intensifying during times of conflict because Christians are sometimes perceived as being aligned with foreign powers.

EEM said a collapse of the present government could open the door for groundbreaking Bible distribution and evangelism.

Dirk Smith, vice president of the organization, said the Bible already exists in several Iranian languages, but demand could rise dramatically if restrictions ease.

In anticipation of such a possibility, EEM has printed nearly 90,000 Bibles in Iranian languages, including what it says is the first New Testament translation in Gilaki, a northern Iranian language.

At the same time, the organization stressed the immediate need for prayer and peace.

This article was originally published at Christian Today 

News Source : https://www.christianpost.com/news/christians-urge-international-action-over-crisis-in-iran.html