Iranian authorities have seized 6,500 copies of the Bible in northwest of Iran.
According to Iranian news agency, Mohabat News, Dr Majid Abhari,
adviser to the social issues committee of the parliament in Iran, said
"these missionaries with reliance on huge money and propaganda are
trying to deviate our youth".
Mohabat News says that, in an interview with a government news agency
(Mehr), Abhari added: "With regard to the activities of these Christian
missionaries to deceive people specially youngsters, they have begun a
huge campaign by spending huge sums and false propaganda for deviating
the public."
Abhari did not present any more details about the seizure of 6,500
gospels but he did say: "These books were made with the best paper in
the world in pocket size."
He added: "The important point in this issue that should be
considered by intelligence, judicial and religious agencies is that all
religions are strengthening their power to confront Islam, otherwise
what does this huge number of Bibles mean?"
Mohabat News stated that in November of 2010, police officers and
revolutionary guards seized 300 bibles from a bus after its inspection
and "in a shameful action, burned them all in the village of Darishk".
According to Mohabat News, "Insulting the Christian Bible is a
continuation of an organised campaign by agencies that view
anti-Christian propaganda on the top of their agenda."
The news agency explains: "There have always been major concerns
among Islamic republic officials about conversions to Christianity among
people. This is after three decades of expensive Islamic propaganda and
a generation that has been grown up in Islamic teaching and is facing
this change in thought."
The agency report concludes: "Islamic republic considers itself the
responsible guide for people's thoughts. So what is their fear of the
importation and distribution of non-Islamic religious books?"