Iran has seized 6,500 copies of the Bible in northwest Iran in what appears to be the latest crackdown by Iranian authorities against Christian evan-gelicals in the country.
Few details are known about the seizure, however, the Christian news agency, Mohabat News, reported last week that Dr. Majid Abhari, adviser to the Majlis Social Issues Committee said, “These missionaries with reliance on huge money and propaganda are trying to convert our youth.”
In an interview with the Mehr news agency, Abhari explained that the Bibles were taken because of governmental concerns that Christian missionaries mean to “deceive” young Iranians with “false propaganda.”
“The important point in this issue that should be considered by the intelligence, judicial and religious agencies is that all religions are strengthening their power to confront Islam, otherwise what does this huge number of Bibles mean?” he told Mehr.
The government has become very concerned about a locally grown Christian evangelical movement that is trying to convert Iranians.Some think the movement is a reaction against the state-endorsed Islam that has arisen among some Iranians opposed to the government.The evangelical movement is led by Iranians who were formerly Muslims and has nothing to do with the traditional Christians who have lived in Iran for centuries and whose membership is based on ethnicity.These groups have no interest in attracting converts.
The Iranian evangelicals are assumed to get support from various American evangelical bodies.