Day 23 Forty Day ‘Pray for Iran’ Campaign.

Iran is the only country in the world that is ruled by Islamic clergy. Today we want to join in prayer for Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamanei, a man whose decisions not only affect 70 million people in Iran but millions across the globe.

From a family of Muslim clerics, Ayatollah Khamanei was a devoted follower of Ayatollah Khomeini who led the 1979 Islamic revolution. He was often imprisoned under the Shah. After Ayatollah Khomeini’s death in 1989, Ayatollah Khamanei was appointed the Supreme Leader by the ultra conservative ‘Assembly of Experts’. His position is for life.

Though there is a parliament and an elected president in Iran, the Supreme Leader controls all the key levers of power and has the final say in all matters. He appoints the heads of the military, the judiciary, the media and the Sepah, which is the separate Islamic army. He also appoints six members of the twelve strong ‘Council of Guardians’ who can veto parliamentary candidates and all legislation passed by the 290 elected MP’s.

During the 17 years of his leadership, Ayatollah Khamanei has faithfully followed Khomeini’s Islamic policies and consolidated the power of the ultra conservative hardliners. He made sure that while the moderate President Khatami was in power between 1997-2005, his reformist policies had little or no impact. Operatives reporting to Ayatollah Khamanei silence the regime’s critics and also persecute religious minorities. Six key church leaders have been martyred and the church has suffered greater persecution since Ayatollah Khamanei came to power. Yet ironically it has been during his time as Supreme Leader that the largest number of conversions to Christianity has occurred.

So let us now pray for Ayatollah Khamanei.

* Pray that God will influence his decisions for the good of the country and her people.
* Pray that the Holy Spirit will bring a deep conviction of sin and the revelation of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
* Pray that while he is ruling, he will serve the nation in righteousness and integrity.
* Pray that the Lord’s purposes for Iran will prevail and that Iran will be a blessing to the rest of the world.

Thank you for standing in prayer for Iran.