Armenians make up the largest group within Iran’s Christian minority. They have been present in Iran and across the Middle East since the 4th century, meaning that they have a fair degree of recognition from the state. However, freedom of religion and expression are severely restricted in Iran, with implications for all religious minorities.
Demography
Armenians, along with other Jews, Zoroastrians, Baha’is, as well as other Christian groups such as Assyrians, Roman Catholics, Anglicans and Protestants, make up two percent of Iran’s 65 million people.[1]
Armenians have been present in Iran since the days of the Persian Empire, but their numbers increased dramatically during the Armenian Genocide, which began in 1915.
At the time of the Islamic Revolution in 1979 there were an estimated 300,000 Armenians living in Iran, with numbers decreasing to an estimated 250,000 in 1986.[2] They are still leaving – the United Nations Special Representative to Iran reported that Christians were leaving the country at a rate of 15,000-20,000 per year between 2001 and 2003.[3] It has been suggested that this emigration has been due to policies implemented by the government since the revolution. Today, total group estimates range from 200,000 to 250,000.[4]
Geographic Distribution
Armenians have traditionally lived in the northwest of Iran, close to eastern Turkey and what is now Armenia, but were forcibly resettled in the 17th century.
Since the 1970s, the majority of Armenians have lived in urban areas, with around 50 percent in Tehran and the rest in Esfahan, Tabriz and other cities.[5]
Historic Hardship
Armenians have been living in Iran for centuries, meaning that they are a recognized part of the Iranian state. Indeed, throughout the twentieth century they have achieved a relatively high standard of living, and are generally well educated.[6]
Armenians are a recognized minority, meaning that their right to practice their religion is guaranteed in the current constitution: Article 13 states that “Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian Iranians are the only recognized religious minorities, who, within the limits of the law, are free to perform their religious rites and ceremonies, and to act according to their own canon in matters of personal affairs and religious education.”
However, in practice they – along with other religious minorities – have long faced a considerable degree of discrimination in many areas. Article 4 of the constitution, which states that “All civil, penal, financial, economic, administrative, cultural, military, political, and other laws and regulations must be based on Islamic criteria,”[7] gives an illustration of the permeation of Islam in all aspects of life in Iran.
Ongoing Hardship
There are significant boundaries preventing Armenians from reaching the higher levels of public office. Religious minorities cannot be elected to the Majlis, the legislative body or parliament, with the exception of five seats, three for Christians (two Armenian and one Assyrian), one for Jews and one for Zoroastrians, and they are barred from becoming president. All acts passed by the Majlis are reviewed for conformity with strict Sharia law, and the whole process is overseen by the Supreme Leader, who is chosen by a group of 83 Islamic scholars elected to the Assembly of Experts.
On a day to day level, freedom of religion is not observed. All Iranians, regardless of religion, must be instructed in Islam, and tests in Islamic theology are a requirement for those wishing to study or work at a university or hold a public sector job. All school principals – including those of Armenian or other Christian school – must be Muslims. Armenian literature classes, and the publication of Christian texts, are legal but require government approval, which is not often granted. It has also been reported that it can be difficult for Christians to obtain a passport.[8]
In 2004, the Expediency Council approved appending a note to Article 297 of the 1991 Islamic Punishments Act, authorizing collection of equal “blood money” (diyeh) for the death of Muslims and non-Muslims. All women and Baha’i men were excluded from the equalization provisions of the bill.
In addition to this institutionalized discrimination, Armenians – as well as other religious minority groups – are subject to general harassment. Religious activity is monitored closely by Ministry of Islamic Culture and Guidance (Ershad) and Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS), and at one point demands were made for Christian groups to submit membership lists to the government, although these demands were resisted.[9] Also, Iranian judicial officials oppose proselytizing by faiths other than Shia Islam and have called for the execution of people from Muslim families who convert to Christianity.[10]
The problems faced by Christians in Iran are most acute for evangelicals; the right to change or renounce religious faith is not protected by the government. Non-Muslims are not permitted to engage in free religious expression or persuasion among Muslims, and apostasy, conversion from Islam, is technically punishable by death. There have been no recent cases of such a punishment being used by the authorities, but in November 2005 a man who had converted to Christianity ten years earlier was killed by unidentified persons after several years of receiving death threats.[11] There have been numerous cases reported of imprisonment based on religion, including the case of Hamid Pourmand, who was charged with deceiving the Iranian armed forces about his religion and ‘acts against national security.’[12]
As Armenians do not generally take part in evangelism these problems are not as acute as for some protestant groups; they maintain their own schools and engage in a range of social and cultural activities that are tolerated by the authorities. Government restrictions tend only to occur when their activities extend beyond the borders of their own communities. However, it has been suggested that Armenians and other Orthodox groups are simply less vocal in their opposition to their ill treatment, meaning that their voice may to a certain extent be unheard.[13]
The stigma attached to changing or denouncing religion, even if not directly a problem for Armenians if they do not wish to take part in evangelism, is a major limitation on the freedoms of Christians, other minority religions and the population at large.
