Christianity in Iran has survived for two millennia despite shifting empires and intense persecution.

Countries & Cities · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Christianity in Iran is as old as the religion itself, yet it remains a complex, often invisible landscape. While ancient ethnic communities like Armenians and Assyrians maintain a historic presence, a modern, underground movement of converts from Islam is currently driving what some scholars call the fastest Christianization rate globally.

The roots of Christianity in Iran reach back to the apostolic age, with early converts mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. Throughout the Sassanid era, these communities navigated a volatile existence, often viewed with suspicion by the state. While periods of tolerance existed, such as the treaty of 484 that granted Armenian subjects the right to practice their faith, Christians frequently faced severe persecution, including the double-taxation policies of Shapur II in the 340s. Over centuries, these groups became distinct ethnic enclaves, with the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East preserving their unique languages and traditions.

The demographic landscape shifted dramatically during the 20th century. The Assyrian and Armenian genocides between 1914 and 1924 shattered millennia-old communities, while the Iran-Iraq War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union triggered significant emigration. Today, the Christian population is a mix of these historic ethnic minorities and a growing, clandestine network of converts. Since the 1970s, Protestant and evangelical movements have increasingly utilized the Persian language and home-based services to reach the broader population, moving away from traditional ethnic-based worship.

This shift has drawn intense state scrutiny. Converting from Islam to Christianity can lead to severe legal consequences, including imprisonment or, in some cases, the death penalty. Despite this, estimates of the number of converts vary wildly, ranging from hundreds of thousands to as many as 3 million. Scholars like Ladan Boroumand and Shay Khatiri suggest that Christianity is currently the fastest-growing religion in Iran, even as the state actively monitors and suppresses these underground networks. The tension between the state's efforts to curb conversion and the quiet expansion of these communities remains a defining feature of the modern Iranian religious experience.

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