Christian converts from Islam no longer have the choice of keeping their faith secret after the Islamic Republic removed the ‘other religions’ option from the new application form for the national ID card, it was reported in March.
The National Census Bureau narrowed the choices available to new applicants to only the four religions recognised under the Iranian Constitution: Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Zoroastrianism.
This means that Muslim-born converts to Christianity, who may have preferred not to make public their faith in order to avoid hostility or persecution from their family, employers or the authorities, now have to reveal they are Christian, or lie about their faith and tick the box that says Muslim.
