Persian in Spain

People Name:	Persian
Country:	Spain
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	2,800
World Population:	46,396,400
Primary Language:	Persian, Iranian
Primary Religion:	Islam
Christian Adherents:	2.00 %
Evangelicals:	0.20 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Online Audio NT:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Persian
Affinity Bloc:	Persian-Median
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

By definition, Persians (also known as Iranians) are an ethnic group native to Iran. The Persian language, called Farsi, is part of the Indo-Iranian language family, and is the official language of Iran. Dari, the language of the elite in Afghanistan, is a dialect of modern Persian. Around 1000 B. C., Persian groups began to settle in the territory that is now Iran. Loosely associated Persian tribes became a more cohesive political unit under the Achaemenian dynasty. Their unity soon made them the dominant ethnic group in the region. For 1,200 years, Persia maintained a culture that became increasingly more complex and rigid. This laid the foundation for a successful Arabian conquest in the seventh century A. D. It was not until the Islamic revolution of 1979 that massive changes came both to Iran and to the Persian people.
There were a few Persians in Spain as early as the 10th century, and this continued for centuries. They were largely unnoticed. The bulk of Spain’s Iranian population came after the brutal 1979 Islamic Revolution. They make up only a small part of Spain’s population.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Most of the Iranians left Iran during the revolution in 1979 or during the war with Iraq that came soon after. After a time of adjusting, most of them are among the better educated citizens in Spain and other European countries. They are tradesmen, professionals, technicians and a small number are in agriculture. About 80 percent are men; few Iranian women are allowed to make the journey. This is a higher percentage of women than other Muslim ethnic groups in Spain.
Iranians in any European country, including Spain, risk harassment if they protest the excesses of the Iranian government. Such harassment can come from social media or other means.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Prior to the Arab invasions, the Persian religion was Zoroastrianism. This religion taught that there was an eternal struggle between the forces of good and evil. Shia Islam became the national religion of Iran in the sixteenth century, at which time the ulama (clergy) began playing an important role in both the social and political lives of the people. Today, most Iranians are officially Shia Muslims of the Ithna Ashari branch. However, the Iranians who have migrated to the Spain are usually disillusioned with state-enforced spirituality, especially in light of the hypocrisy which they saw in the Iranian government. For this reason, most are either Shia Muslim in name only or they are secularized. Fortunately, being in a place where there is freedom of religion gives them a chance to hear and respond to the claims of Jesus Christ. The main obstacle is a lack of workers.

What Are Their Needs?

Iranians in Spain need to know there is hope—not in a religious institution, but in the only Savior, Jesus Christ. It will take loving and patient ambassadors for Christ to go to them. There is a need for more workers who will go with the love of Christ.

Prayer Points

Ask the Lord to call people who are willing to reach out and share the love of Christ with the Persians in Spain.
Pray for a Disciple Making Movement to flourish among Iranians all across Spain.
Pray that God will raise up faithful intercessors who will stand in the gap for the Iranians in Europe.
Ask God to strengthen, encourage, and protect the formerly Muslim Iranians who have come to faith in Christ.