For many Western Christians, Iran appears only in headlines. Yet the story of Christianity in Iran is far more complex. In this interview, Iranian-Jewish believer Pirooz Abir shares his journey and the surprising growth of the underground church.

In our conversation, Pirooz Abir paints an inspiring picture: a nation quietly searching for truth and a growing underground church. It is a spiritual awakening that many observers believe is one of the fastest-growing movements of Christianity in the world.

Abir’s own life story, stretching from Jewish schools in Iran to faith in Jesus and ministry among Iranians today, reflects the deeper story unfolding inside the country.

Growing Up Jewish in Iran

Pirooz Abir was born into a Jewish family in Iran, where he attended a Jewish school from childhood through his teenage years. His education immersed him in multiple languages, including Persian, English and Hebrew. 

The school included a synagogue, so faith was part of everyday life. 

“They actually taught us about faith in God… to put your faith in Him and trust in Him.”

As a boy, Abir developed a deeply personal habit of prayer.

“Every night as I was going to sleep, I would pray the Shema. And then I would also talk to God directly.”

Looking back, he sees those early prayers as part of God’s quiet preparation.

“Somehow this stuck with me—the whole concept of speaking to God and that He hears you.”

A Curious Encounter with Jesus

Long before he made the life changing decision to follow Jesus, Abir encountered the story of Jesus through a youth magazine his aunt subscribed to. At one point, the magazine ran a series with illustrated stories of the Gospels and he followed the stories with fascination.

“When Jesus raised this one from the dead and that one from the dead—I thought, ‘That’s interesting.’”

But one moment particularly caught his attention.

“Then it gets to His death. And it gets to the resurrection… I thought, ‘Does anybody come back from the dead?’”

At the time it was simply curiosity. Today Abir sees something deeper.

“God has His way. His Word never comes back void. Those were the seeds that were planted.”

Before the 1979 Islamic revolution, it was much safer to be Jewish in Iran. Under the rule of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi (the Shah), Iran was a relatively secular monarchy, and Jews had legal rights, economic opportunities, and significant participation in professional life.

Iran Before the Iranian Islamic Revolution

Many Western Christians assume Iran has always been deeply Islamic and closed to outside ideas. Abir says that image is far from accurate.

“Have you seen pictures of what Iran looked like in the 1970s? Women running around with miniskirts… We watched American television shows, movies, everything.”

Before the 1979 revolution, Iranian culture was far more secular than outsiders realize. Many Muslims were Muslim in name only. The truth is, the majority of Iranians were not very religious at all. Though religious life existed, it was often cultural and became more visible only at the time of the holidays.

But the even more surprising thing to many Westerners is the fact that the gospel had already reached Iran long before the revolution. Missionaries from Europe and America had translated the Bible into Persian and established schools.

Abir discovered later in life that his own family had unknowingly crossed paths with one of those missionaries.

“After I got saved, my dad shared that there was a Hebrew school in Tehran which was established by missionaries where he began learning Hebrew as a child. After I came to faith in the Messiah, I had the privilege of meeting one of those missionaries, Dr. William Miller who was sent out by the Tenth Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, in the 1940s.”

Looking back, Abir sees a pattern.

“When you look back at your life, you realize the Lord had a little string… gently directing your path.”

Jews and Persians Torn Apart

After the Iranian Islamic Revolution brought the Islamic Republic to power, the political climate changed dramatically. As one may imagine, the country was no longer safe for the Jewish people. 

Many were arrested or executed, all feared persecution, and tens of thousands emigrated, reducing the community to a small fraction of its former size.

During the 1979 upheaval, Abir’s family made the difficult decision to leave Iran and settle in Israel, while Pirooz himself went to university in America. Despite this complex history, he keeps Iran in his heart. And he makes a clear distinction between the Persian people and the Islamic government.

A Nation Losing Faith in Islam

Undeterred by those in power, Abir says modern Iran is undergoing a profound spiritual shift. He points to statistics showing a dramatic decline in mosque attendance.

“Some local imams admitted they used to have seventy-five thousand mosques. Now, fifty thousand of them have been closed because nobody would come.”

Disillusionment with the regime has played a major role.

“People are so disgusted with what they see… how brutal the government has been.”

Abir recalls a friend whose father was once deeply religious.

“He stopped going to the mosque… and later he stopped praying altogether. He said, ‘I’m done with Islam.’”

The reason? Brutality and hypocrisy of the Islamic regime in the country. And he is not alone in this. Many Iranians are now searching spiritually—but outside the traditional structures they once trusted.

The Rise of House Churches in Iran

All the circumstances described above made room for great spiritual openness in the country. Christianity started spreading quietly but consistently through underground house churches. Small gatherings meet in homes, often moving locations to avoid suspicion.

What begins as a small group can grow rapidly. Abir says the openness to the gospel can be striking.

“In one town they went from two homes to three thousand homes.”

Many believers are connected and discipled through ministries like Iran Alive Ministries, which broadcasts Christian teaching into Iran via satellite television and online platforms. Abir compares the situation to Jesus’ description of a ready harvest.

“Literally… the harvest is there.”

Faith That Risks Everything

One of the greatest differences between the Iranian church and Western Christianity, Abir believes, is the cost of faith.

He recounts a moment shared by a ministry leader who was discipling Iranian believers in Turkey, before they were scheduled to return home to Iran. The leader felt heavy knowing the danger awaiting his students.

“They were worshiping the Lord at two in the morning. [The leader] thought, ‘I’m leaving them… chances are they’re going to get killed.’”

But their response revealed remarkable courage and faith. They knew they had to go back, but it was not the leader’s place to go back with them. 

“They said, ‘That’s not your calling. That’s our calling. And we’re willing to die.’”

Miracles and the Spread of Christianity in Iran

Stories of healing and transformation often accompany the spread of Christianity in Iran. Abir shared the story of a woman who encountered Christ through a satellite broadcast. She had been deeply depressed and even told a pastor she planned to take her own life.

The pastor asked her to wait.

“He told her, ‘Give Jesus a try for ten days.’”

That night, she had prayed with her mother who had been seriously ill. And, the mother experienced an unexpected healing! She was able to get out of her bed, walk around the house, and all her pain was gone. 

When doctors asked what happened, the answer surprised them.

“They asked, ‘Which imam did you pray to?’ And she said to them, ‘We prayed to Jesus.’”

This woman, who almost gave up on her own life, is still alive today. But more importantly, she is a follower of Jesus and serves the underground church in Iran. 

A Message From Pirooz Abir

If there are Iranians searching for the truth who are reading this story, Abir has a simple message for them.

“Test the Lord.”

He encourages people to approach God honestly.

“Ask Him in your own heart: Who are you? Who is this Jesus?”

And then wait for the answer.

“With an honest heart, you’re going to find out.”

A Quiet Revival

Today, Pirooz Abir continues to speak about Israel, the Iranian people, and the surprising movement of faith inside Iran. His life bridges topics that on the surface should never intersect: Jewish heritage, Iranian culture, and Christian faith.

And through that perspective he sees something many outsiders miss.

Despite decades of oppression and hostility toward Christianity, the gospel has not disappeared from Iran. In fact, according to believers like Abir, it may be spreading faster than ever before.

The seeds planted generations ago—through missionaries, Scripture translations, and quiet conversations—are now growing into a harvest.

And if the stories coming out of Iran are any indication, that harvest is only beginning.