Hardliners believe the conflict with the US is a prelude to the return of Muhammad al-Mahdi (pictured) - who they believe 'will crush Christianity'. Source: Wikimedia Commons
Hardliners in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) are wanting to keep the US-Iran war going as they believe it will usher in global Islamic rule, a Christian think tank says.
The Lindisfarne Centre for the Study of Christian Persecution also says that there is an ongoing risk of further arrests and corrupt judicial proceedings against believers in Iran.
Around 4,000 Christians are believed to have been wrongly arrested since the end of February, facing torture and forced confessions. Additionally, lawyers who represent marginalised people, including Christians, are increasingly being arrested.
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