"Welcome to the future of Iran, President Trump."

 

 The following article was composed by my dear Iranian friend, Paymaneh Sabet. Paymaneh is a Christian, a journalist, and a human rights activist who has been living in Malaysia for more than a decade as a refugee. I met her on Facebook in 2014 and featured her stories in my self-published book, "The Cross in the Desert."

  Paymaneh has written many articles about the struggles of Iranians that I have read on my "Cross in the Desert podcast. We meet several times throughout the year online to pray for the people of Iran. Unfortunately, The U.N. Refugee Program has not been very kind to my Iranian friend. She has been stranded in Malaysia without basic human rights and unable to earn a living for the past 13 years. If Paymaneh leaves her residence to go out publicly, she can be arrested by the police and face possible deportation back to Iran which would be a death sentence.

 Paymaneh's latest article is dedicated to President Trump, who during his first term was a powerful voice for the people of Iran. She writes with passion, a deeply personal letter encouraging President Trump to be a world-changer 

                                                                   

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  Welcome to the future of Iran, President Trump!

                                                                                

  I don't need to emphasize how profoundly joyful true Iranians feel about your inauguration. Freedom is ultimately in God's hands, just as redemption and salvation are the final goals of His kingdom. While you are not the ultimate governor, for Christ alone reigns supreme, you are His instrument, a vessel in His divine plan. Just as God used Persia to liberate Israel from captivity, He now seems to be using you and Prime Minister Netanyahu to not only bring hope to Iranians but more importantly, to open the doors for the gospel.

  The spiritual condition in Iran is dire, yet paradoxically, it is fertile ground. Thousands are seeking the truth, yearning for the light that only Christ can provide. The veil of deception is lifting as Islam reveals its true face to many. This is not mere coincidence, it is God's providence. In this critical hour, the doors to the gospel remain shut within Iran, but the hunger for truth is undeniable.

                                                                           

          

  President Trump, you have been chosen and protected by God to make the United States a beacon of hope and help illuminate the world alongside other vessels of His will, such as Prime Minister Netanyahu and Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi. While I refrain from declaring him King, I deeply love and pray for his leadership, as the Iranian people deserve a leader who leads with justice and truth, not merely a temporary leader after the revolution. I have only one vote and cannot decide on behalf of millions of Iranians, but I truly desire for him to be the king of Iran.

  The battle we face is not just political or worldly, it is a spiritual warfare. The government of my occupied homeland, along with its proxies, may not be the Antichrist, but they undoubtedly stand against our Lord and His truth. This resistance is not merely against a nation, it is against God's chosen people, Israel, and the very foundation of His kingdom. Yet even amidst the chaos, we find purpose, to reveal the truth to those who seek it, to expose the true nature of His enemies, and to stand firm in the faith.

  President Trump, God has always had plans for Iranians. The proof is etched in history. King Cyrus released Israel from captivity, the Persians built the second temple, and the three wise men who visited and presented gifts to the baby Jesus were Persian. These moments remind us of the profound role Persians have played in God's divine narrative.

  Welcome President Trump, to a world riddled with chaos, where doubt clouds vision and war-loving powers manipulate lives. Welcome to a world of bias, discrimination, and injustice. Here, organizations that claim to champion human rights, instead oppress, leaving refugees hungry, homeless, and stripped of dignity for over a  decade. They behave as though they own the very breath and life of the oppressed, telling us to be grateful merely for being alive.

  Welcome to a world where humanitarian aid sometimes comes wrapped in the guise of weapons for terrorists. A world where leaders claim to stand with oppressed peoples yet deal cordially with tyrannical regimes. A world where critical decisions were made by those who hide cruel intentions behind masks of righteousness. This is a world deeply in need of divine intervention and courageous vessels to carry out God's will.

                                                                 

  I believe you, prime Minister Netanyahu, and Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi can, by God's grace, help bring about a world where people live securely and freely. A world where individuals are no longer consumed by daily struggles but are free to see, hear, and embrace the truth. Together, as vessels of God's justice and mercy, you can restore hope and light to nations shrouded in darkness.

  President Trump. may you find wisdom and strength in the Lord, for the task ahead is monumental. But with Christ as the cornerstone and His truth as the guiding light, even the impossible becomes possible. May your leadership pave the way for a brighter future, one that glorifies God and brings peace to a world in desperate need.

                                                                                    

 

Happy Birthday, "Angel of Iran."

 Most of us can remember where we were at and what we were doing when President Kennedy was assassinated or more recently when terrorists crashed commercial airliners into the twin towers on September 11, 2001. Traumatic events are difficult to forget because of the impact they have on our lives.

  I remember I was at home from work on June 20, 2009, relaxing in front of the TV when my life was suddenly changed forever. I was horrified as I watched a video of a young beautiful woman lying in the streets of Tehran bleeding to death. She was surrounded by her friends who were desperately trying to save her life. I remember watching with tears in my eyes hoping and praying that somehow she would survive, but sadly she didn't.

                                                                                     

 The shocking video of Neda Agha-Soltan's senseless murder in the streets of Tehran during the botched presidential election of Ahmadinejad has been seen all over the world. Viewers have been saddened, stunned and outraged that a beautiful young woman's right to protest was met with such intolerance and violence. As I watched the video and later discovered that the government denied any wrongdoing and showed very little sympathy for Neda's family, I knew then that I had to speak out.

 The video of Neda's death has been a life transforming event that has resulted in the publication of my new book, "The Rose of Nowruz: dreams of hope and freedom." In the opening pages of "The Rose" Neda Soltan was one of the women freedom fighters of Iran that I dedicated my book to.

 For many Iranians and myself included, Neda has become symbol of hope and freedom. The name Neda in Persian literally means, "voice calling." I find this fascinating because I really feel as though she is calling to me to speak out against the many injustices and human rights violations in Iran.

                                                                                   

Since the time I first saw this incredible video I have written twenty books and have developed many wonderful online friendships with Iranians. A few years ago I had the privilege of meeting Caspian Makan, the fiance of Neda Soltan. Caspian has dedicated his life to speaking out against the evils of religion and war and human suffering and is the founder of the Campaign for change and the completion of global human right laws located in Toronto, Ontario Canada. I typed a message to Capsian through Facebook expressing my deep sorrow over Neda's death and sent him a copy of my new book.

Thursday, January 23, 2025 is a very special moment for me. I saw a photograph that I will never forget. It is a beautiful, touching moment with Caspian gazing up at a picture of Neda. In the foreground is a table covered with red and white paper hearts beautifully illuminated by soft burning candles. In the left corner is a picture of The Azadi Towers and just below Neda's picture sets a baby grand piano. In the center of the table is a birthday cake with the number 42 sitting on top.

 January 23 is Neda's 42nd birthday. Tragically her life was violently cut short at the tender age of 26. As I sat and gazed at this beautiful moment, I wept and uttered a prayer for Neda and Caspian.
 I remember softly muttering out loud "Happy Birthday, angel of Iran."
Neda was given the title "Iran's angel" because she was an ordinary young woman who cared deeply about her country and was unafraid to let her voice be heard.

I believe it is very important that you and me never forget her death and all that she stood for.
Neda's name means "voice calling." I pray that we will never stop hearing her voice.

"Killed because you are a woman in Iran."

 

 On December 25, 2024, 27-year-old Ghazaleh Hodoudi was set on fire for refusing a marriage proposal. She later died at a hospital in northwestern Iran succumbing to her injuries. The brutal murder occurred at her workplace in a tailoring shop where Ghazaleh raised her 11-year-old daughter.

 This senseless tragedy is an "all too common" problem in Iran known as femicide which is skyrocketing because of the lack of legal protection for women against domestic violence. While the government oppresses women daily because of the unjust Hijab Laws, women also suffer greatly from their fathers or husbands for seeking a divorce or fleeing from an abusive marriage. The government should protect its citizens from violence but refuses to take practical measures to address the "femicide" crisis that is affecting women of Iran.

                                                                    

Hadi Ghaemi, Executive Director for Human Rights in Iran, explains the horrific situation in Iran is escalating because of the failure of laws and policies in place to protect women.

 "Women in Iran are being shot, stabbed, and burned to death by husbands and fathers in shocking numbers, but the government does not take even the most basic measures to try to prevent these crimes and the Iranian judicial system lets these cases go with little or sometimes even no punishment."

 Another prime example of the horrific crimes against women described by Hadi Ghaemi is the violent death of Fatemeh Amiri, a victim of child marriage, who had endured more than twelve years of abuse by her husband. Her body was found wrapped in blankets and a rug and stuffed into a closet on the outskirts of the city of Tehran. She had been beaten and stabbed to death because her husband was an addict and couldn't control his temper.

 According to "Stop Femicide in Iran" (SFI) there were 93 known acts of femicide in Iran in just the first half of 2024, a shocking 60 percent increase over the same period in 2023. The statistics average out to about one murder every other day. Husbands or ex-husbands engaged in stabbing, immolations, suffocation, strangling, shooting, beatings, poisoning, and running over women with their cars, as the primary methods for ending their lives. The majority of the victims were under 30 and children frequently witnessed their violent deaths. Women were killed for requesting a divorce, rejecting marriage proposals, and ten percent of the cases were young girls who were the direct victims of femicide.

                                                                       

                                                                    

 Saeid Dehghan, a prominent human rights lawyer who has defended numerous individuals in the courts of the Islamic Republic, laments the main cause of this femicide epidemic.

 "In the overwhelming majority of such cases, whether involving murder or other forms of violence against women, the real weapon is the existing laws of the Islamic Republic. These laws are rooted in religious doctrine and medieval perspectives, enabling men in Iran-within families and in positions of power in the government-to perpetuate such atrocities."

 The Islamic Penal Code empowers men to commit these awful crimes. The law states that if a man sees his wife committing adultery with a man, and he knows that she consented to it, he is allowed to kill both of them. In a nutshell, this kind of honor killing is not punishable, and judges willingly consent to it with the motive to preserve honor in the family. In retrospect, a woman could never walk free after killing her adulterous husband and could be executed!

 The laws are extremely biased against women and favorable to men. In the case of an abusive relationship where a woman's safety is greatly compromised, the Civil Code forbids them from leaving a matrimonial home without the husband's permission, unless she is able and willing to go to court to prove that her life is endangered. This unjust law leaves a woman in a dangerous and violent situation with the stipulation that if she leaves, she will forfeit her right to financial maintenance. Once again the patriarchal system has imprisoned women against their will and they end up remaining in a highly volatile and abusive situation.

 In Iran, an endangered woman has no place to go for help or protection. The judges consistently admonish them to return and obey their abusive husbands. Shelters and safe houses throughout the cities in Iran have all been closed. The biggest roadblock against women lies in the teaching of the Quran that their testimony is only worth half that of a man's. Also they are under immense pressure to meet the burden of proof in court when reporting domestic abuse and oftentimes return back home fearing the penalties they would endure for leaving.

 The oppression and discrimination against women in Iran is a topic that I am very passionate about. For more than 13 years, I have written articles and published books in defense of women in the Middle East, especially in Iran. The only hope for these women is the removal of the dictatorship government. Reform is impossible. The Islamic Republic of Iran has no intention of abridging its laws in order to protect women. Their religious system blinds them to the truth of their hypocrisy and prevents them from seeing the true value and worth of a woman. 

In Contrast to the government's commitment to Islamic beliefs, the Bible paints a beautiful portrait of women. Proverbs 31 exalts the character of a woman declaring that a "wife of noble character is worth far more than rubies, (verses 10-11) that she clothed with strength and dignity (Verse 25), and speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction (Verse 26)

 Jesus demonstrated true compassion and mercy to first-century women, lifting them out of the gutters of discrimination and restoring their true dignity and worth to them.

  Psalm 9:9 declares, "The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble." 

                                                                       

 The women in Iran can find hope and healing, a real shelter for protection from abuse when they cry out to Jesus. He is a true refuge for the oppressed. The Word of God commands me to be their voice and not be silent or indifferent to their hopeless situations. 

 Proverbs 31:8 is my life verse when being a voice for Iranian women:

 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed."

 It is my calling and passion to be their voice, to pray for them, and to bring international awareness to their desperate plight. I will never stop speaking up until the day comes when they can celebrate in the streets under a new government of democracy and freedom!

    

 

Armita Abassi, "After two years of torture, I finally feel safe."

 

  Every Sunday night, I meet with my prayer partner and friend, Heather Joy. We spend two hours together online, praying for the people of Iran. It is our passion to be a voice for their hope and freedom through our faithful intercession.

  This past Sunday, before we began praying, I was suddenly impressed by The Holy Spirit to google the name of one of the rape victims that we had written about in our self-published book, "Uprising: We are the Revolution." Our book chronicled the final hours of young teenage Iranian female protesters who were tragically killed by security forces during the "Woman, life, freedom" protests in 2022.

  One of our stories was about a young Iranian girl named Armita Abassi, who gained worldwide attention after being raped by her interrogator while in custody.

  "Wow. This is incredible!"  I shouted to Heather. I  had just found an article from November 2024 published by Iran Wire featuring an interview with Armita Abassi in Munich Germany.

 "Armita is free. She's no longer in Iran" I shouted joyfully with tears in my eyes.

  Heather and I rejoiced that God had been faithful to answer our prayers. Not only had we written Amrita's story in our book, but we had consistently been praying for her scars to heal from the vicious rape attack that she endured while in custody. God had opened the door for Armita to finally escape from her "hell" in Iran.

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 She is a rebel, a non-conformist. Like any other teenager living in Iran, she wants nothing to do with religion or politics. Amrita only wants freedom for her and all other oppressed women living in fear and bondage under a dictatorship government.

 In August of 2024, after tired of being harrassed and under surveillance by the government, Amrita is able to connect with "The Munich Circle" an organization residing in Germany that helps Iranian refugees migrate to freedom.

 On a cold November day in Munich, Armita sits down next to Aida Ghajar, a journalist for Iran Wire to tell her incredible story of rape and torture.

 Armita, now twenty years old, is much more relaxed today in her new home in Germany. She is dressed in a long-sleeved black sweater and short black skirt. She is very proud of her new hairstyle. Her once dirty blonde hair is now colored green and flowing freely without the required hijab that she was forced to wear in Iran.

  "Only now for the first time after two years of horror, do I finally feel safe," Armita says with a sigh of relief in her voice to her interviewer.

  However, there was a time when she was never safe. Amrita had always been a rebel, someone who refused to play by the rules. In Iran, she managed a very popular Instagram page with over 10,000 followers, speaking out for women's rights and posting about the protests. She was anxious to learn a skill and live independently so she became a tattoo artist.

  It was while Armita was living in the city of Karaj that she learned about the tragic murder of Mahsa Amini on September 16, 2022. She immediately realized that she could not be silent and that she had to make a stand.

  "I kept thinking. What is my role in all of this? A girl was killed right here. If they can kill her and say nothing, they'll kill us, too!"

  For the next month, Armita hit the streets and joined in the protests. She admits that her motivation for going out was not only Mahsa but also another young protester named Nika, who she looked up to as a courageous example. Nika was arrested by security forces, raped, tortured, and murdered while in custody. Her martyrdom caused Armita to join the "Woman, life, freedom" movement. She refused to let Nika's death be in vain.

                                                                        

 Unfortunately on October 11, 2022, a day that Armita wishes she could completely blot out of her mind, she was arrested and dragged into an interrogation center in Karaj. For the next grueling six days, she was beaten and then raped. Her apartment had been ransacked, her kittens abused by agents, causing their deaths, and Molotov cocktails were discovered among her other belongings. Armita explained to the interviewer that she had made the cocktails for other protesters to defend themselves.

 The interrogator conspired with the other security agents to go back to her apartment and place wicks in all of the cocktails, so that they were officially armed, and frame her being a dangerous leader in the protests. They also tricked Armita into revealing her password to her phone with the promise that she could call her mother, a promise that they never kept.

 It was while Armita was being tortured during the interrogations that someone leaked a report to CNN that protesters were being raped by security forces.

 The Interviewer carefully probes Armita with a very sensitive question, "Is this the same interrogator who raped you?"

 Armita becomes silent. She gets a terrified look in her eyes.

  "I prefer to only say that I fully confirm the report aired on CNN about the sexual assault. But I really don't want to talk about the details of it."

  Aida pauses and carefully ponders on what to ask Armita next.

  "Can you talk about how it affected you psychologically?"

  "I try to imagine that it never happened," Amrita replied, her voice cracking with emotion.

   Tears begin streaming down her face as she tries to suppress the horrifying images in her mind. She reaches for a glass of water to calm her nerves. The interview is put on hold for a few minutes.

 During her terrifying ordeal, agents were forced to take Amrita to a hospital because of profuse bleeding from her rectum. They disguised themselves and pretended to be her family and invented a fake story that she was suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. However, the attending doctors suspected that she had been sexually abused. Amrita managed to get the attention of one of the nurses, giving her, her mother's phone number. Finally, after several weeks, her family finds out what happened to her.

 The hellish ordeal wasn't over yet. Armita spent several months in prison before finally being released in February 2023 back home to her parents.

  "Do you regret being involved with the protests?" The interviewer asks as she begins to wrap up the interview. 

  No, Not at all, " Armita proudly proclaims, "I believe in myself and who I am. I did what I had to do.  This was the goal of Woman, life, and freedom. To live without a bunch of dictators looming over us. And I truly hope that day comes when we can walk together in peace without worrying about what someone is wearing or their life choices."

                                                                 

 Armita is a very strong, very tough young lady. She is a true survivor who grew up very quickly under extreme circumstances. She doesn't know yet what work she wants to do in Munich but most importantly is grateful to be alive and free from the "hellhole" of Iran.

 Although Armita is physically free from the bondage and the dictatorship of Iran, inside she is still being held captive by the scars of rape and torture. 

 My prayer partner Heather, knows exactly what Armita is going through because she too is a victim of sexual abuse and is struggling yet today to become fully healed from the trauma of years ago.

 Armita needs our prayers. Even though she is a strong and independent person, the scars and the trauma she bears needs intensive healing that only God can give. God's Word promises hope and healing. Psalm 34:18 proclaims, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. He saves those who are crushed in spirit."

 Armita, Heather, and I will continue faithfully praying for your complete healing. We hope one day that we can meet you and give you the biggest hug in the world!