A new book by Article18’s Fred Petrossian seeks to explain why many Iranian Christian converts end up as refugees and asylum-seekers in the West.

The book, ‘Why Christian Converts Flee Iran’, “tells a story that spans 46 years of suffering and resistance,” the author explains, “while also tracing the deep historical roots of Christianity in Iran—going back to the early Church”. 

“Under the Sasanian Empire, Iranian missionaries even reached as far as China and India. Today, Iranian Christian converts represent a new and fast-growing minority.

“But this book isn’t limited to the experience of Christian converts. It also highlights the struggles and resilience of other persecuted minorities, including the Baháʼís and Yarsanis, whose voices are often silenced.”

Mr Petrossian explains that the book “explores not only the triple violence (physical, structural, and cultural) faced by Christian converts, but also the broader landscape of religious repression—and the creative resistance of minorities”.

“This is not just a story of repression,” he adds. “It is a story of hope, defiance, and faith under pressure. 

“We, as Iranians, have the power to rewrite a future that feels doomed—and to defeat tyranny together.”

‘Why Christian converts flee Iran’ is available to purchase here.