Iran persecutes its Baha’i minority fiercely
in a year of protests and war, rights groups say
Associated Press Author: Fatma Khaled July 13, 2026
The Associated Press reports that Iran has sharply intensified its persecution of the Baha’i community during 2026, amid nationwide protests and the war involving the United States and Israel. Human rights organizations describe this as one of the most severe crackdowns on Iran’s largest non-Muslim religious minority in recent years.
According to the report, dozens of Baha’is have been arrested since January because of their faith. Security forces allegedly raided homes, desecrated Baha’i holy books and religious symbols, and confiscated personal property. Rights groups also report widespread abuse in detention, including prolonged solitary confinement, electric shocks, mock executions, food deprivation, and forced confessions to crimes carrying the death penalty.
The article says the crackdown forms part of a broader campaign of repression following nationwide protests that have resulted in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests. Iranian officials did not respond to AP’s requests for comment regarding the treatment of Baha’is.
A central focus of the report is Peyvand Naimi, a Baha’i prisoner who has remained in custody for more than six months. His family says he was arrested before the killings he is accused of committing and insists no credible evidence has been presented against him. Amnesty International also questioned the timeline of the government’s allegations.
State television later broadcast what authorities described as Naimi’s confession, but his family says it was obtained under torture. According to the Baha’i International Community, he spent more than two months in solitary confinement and was later accused of celebrating the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei despite having no access to outside information. Although a judge reportedly ordered his release, prosecutors refused to free him, allegedly telling his family that “the Baha’is will not be released.”
The report notes that Baha’is have faced systematic persecution in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, including executions, imprisonment, confiscation of property, and restrictions on education and employment. Despite decades of discrimination, an estimated 300,000 Baha’is continue to live in Iran.
The Baha’i International Community reported that at least 63 Baha’is were imprisoned as of June 11, although the actual number is believed to be higher because many families fear speaking publicly.
The Associated Press also highlights the government’s propaganda campaign against Baha’is. State media have accused them of spying for Israel and undermining the Islamic Republic. During a public exhibition in Mazandaran Province, officials reportedly described Baha’is as “spies” and argued they should not be allowed to own property.
The article concludes with the case of Behzad Basiri, whose family says Revolutionary Guard agents arrested him without charge, damaged Baha’i religious books during a house raid, and also detained his wife, Mandana Sotoudeh, and her sister, Mahsa Sotoudeh. Although all three were eventually released on bail, legal proceedings continue.
Human rights advocates quoted by AP argue that the campaign against Baha’is is intended not only to suppress a religious minority but also to intimidate Iranian society as a whole during a period of political unrest and conflict.
Read full article: https://apnews.com/article/iran-bahai-faith-persecution-protests-war-dbeb8abf63111acff77d235b242cf6b4