ISTANBUL (RNS) — Hormoz Shariat preaches to a congregation of millions of Iranian Christians around the world, those who have scattered because of repression at home and those who, having stayed, have long been the target of arrest by Iranian authorities, frequently accused of being tools of Western powers.
The Tehran-born, now Texas-based founder of Iran Alive Ministries runs an online ministry that streams 24 hours a day, sharing the gospel in Farsi, the language of Iran. Shariat also organizes a network of Iranian Christian leaders both in Iran and in the diaspora. In an interview with Religion News Service on Sunday, Shariat said since the news that Ayatollah Khamenei had been killed in a strike Saturday, plans for escape and emigration are being put on hold in the hopes that a brighter future may be dawning.
“This is a day of rejoicing and hope for the people of Iran, who have suffered for so long over the years,” Shariat told Religion News Service Sunday. “With this death of the supreme leader, everybody is firstly happy and hopeful, but are still asking, ‘What’s next? Is this the end of the regime or not?’ That’s the big question right now for everybody.”
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