Iran: Pastor among nine Christians arrested

Tehran - An evangelical priest was among nine Christians arrested in central Iran on Friday as authorities continued a crackdown against Christians in the Islamic country. The Christians' evangelical church in the city of Isfahan was closed down last month, according to advocacy group International Christian Concern.

"Iranian Christians are under constant threat of discrimination, imprisonment, torture, and even execution by the Iranian government," said Washington DC-based ICC president Jeff King, quoted by Christian news agency BosNewsLife.

"This severely restricts religious freedom," King added.

Reverend Wilson Issavi was arrested by Iranian state security agents in Isfahan, some 340 kilometers south of the capital Tehran, King said.

"Reverend Issavi, his hosts and others were apprehended by the security agents and immediately taken to prison. Friends and family are deeply concerned as they are unable to contact Reverend Issavi," King stated (...)