Middle Eastern Christians face growing threat amid Iran war, advocates warn

Iranian Christians at St Sarkis Armenian Cathedral in Tehran on January 6, 2026. Photo: Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images

The international Catholic charity and human-rights organization Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has warned that an escalation of the conflict around Iran could pose a grave threat to Christian communities across the Middle East. The organization’s press office circulated the statement on March 2, 2026.

Regina Lynch, Executive President of ACN, said that “a new spiral of violence could push already fragile communities beyond the point of survival.” She stressed that civilians would suffer most if the war were to flare up again – and that Christians are often among the most defenseless.

ACN noted that Christians in Iran face discrimination, while converts are particularly vulnerable to persecution. At the same time, concern remains high in neighboring countries – Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon – where small Christian communities continue to live amid chronic instability.

The organization emphasized that many Christians have already left the region, and those who remain are often elderly and poor. “Whatever the political developments may be, the Christian presence and the Church’s mission in the Middle East must continue,” Lynch said.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Pete Hegseth said the U.S. military are “not defenders any more,” but warriors “trained to kill the enemy.”

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