Original story by Erik Tryggestad
Fear mixed with hope — that’s how many Iranian Christians are describing their emotions after the weekend’s devastating strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel. For thousands of believers scattered across Europe, the attacks hit close to home. Many remain in constant contact with family members still living under the Iranian regime.
“It’s very mixed feelings right now… all their loved ones are involved.” — Reggy Hiller
In recent weeks, Iranians have staged massive anti‑government protests, only to face violent retaliation. Some Christians say the strikes felt like an unexpected answer to desperate prayers. Zhale, an Iranian Christian now living in Vienna, said friends and relatives had been fleeing gunfire in the streets. “Some looked up at the sky, searching for drones and waiting for help,” she said.
But the attacks also place loved ones in danger. Reggy Hiller, a member of the Pohlgasse Church of Christ in Vienna, said believers are torn. “It’s very mixed feelings right now, because of all their loved ones involved, not knowing the outcome of all this.”
Since 2018, the Pohlgasse congregation has baptized more than 100 Farsi‑speaking refugees from Iran and Afghanistan. Many now worship, raise children, and attend youth camps alongside other immigrant families, including Ukrainians. Hiller, the daughter of longtime missionaries, recently married an Iranian Christian who dropped to his knees in prayer when news of the strikes broke.
Another Vienna congregation, the Danube Church of Christ, has also welcomed dozens of new Iranian believers. Minister Jake Haskew said the church is praying for safety and freedom for the Iranian people. After reports that key Iranian leaders, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were killed, he said many Christians felt “a lot of hope that the future of peace and freedom may be soon.”
For Zhale, who fled Iran after years of religious pressure and was baptized in 2025, the moment is deeply personal. She has applied for asylum in Austria, knowing she cannot safely return. “My faith motivates me to seek freedom, human rights and justice,” she said. “I pray for a safe, just and democratic Iran where all citizens can practice their beliefs freely.”
