Iran intensifies its persecution of the Baha'i minority, representatives say

Iranian authorities have recently stepped up arrests and false accusations against the Baha'i community, which representatives of the country’s largest non-Muslim religious minority said is increasingly being used as a “scapegoat.”

The Islamic Republic considers Baha'is to be heretics and "spies" connected to Israel, where their historical global headquarters is in Haifa.

In mid-January, authorities announced the arrest of members of this minority, whom they claimed were "active in the riots" during the wave of protests against the government.

For the past week, state television has been airing "false accusations" against the Baha'is, as well as the "forced confessions" of two of its detained members, the Baha'i International Community (BIC) said in a statement.

The BIC, which advocates for the minority at the UN, said it is "concerned" about the "major escalation" in the Iranian government's campaign against the Baha'is, who are serving as "scapegoats during this period of national crisis."

Reports have been circulating about an increase in arrests of members of this community across the country, it added, although it was unable to provide figures.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported Tuesday that more than 50,000 people had been arrested in Iran during and after the recent anti-government demonstrations.

The human rights organization Human Rights Watch stated in 2024 that the persecution of Baha'is in Iran since the advent of the Islamic Republic in 1979 constituted a "crime of persecution against humanity."

Some 200 Baha'is were executed in the aftermath of the Revolution. The degree of persecution has fluctuated over the decades, but has peaked in recent years, according to the community.

It is unclear how many members of this minority remain in Iran, but their supporters believe there could still be several hundred thousand.

The Baha'is follow the teachings of Baha'u'llah, born in Iran in 1817, whom they regard as a prophet and the founder of the monotheistic faith.

Unlike other non-Muslim minorities such as Armenians, Jews and Zoroastrians, Baha'is do not have their faith recognized in the Iranian Constitution and do not hold any reserved seats in Parliament.