Iran’s authoritarian government seeks to control the narrative and prevent opponents from communicating—making social media a key battleground. In ordinary times, many platforms are banned, while others are heavily restricted. During periods of unrest or war, the government goes further, often blocking access to the global internet altogether. In such times, only a small number of people can stay connected to the outside world, usually at great expense.  

Iranian Christians have long sought to share the hope of the Gospel through social media; and now, more than ever, they need wisdom on how to be salt and light in this arena. Evangelism, discipleship, teaching, and worship content have been growing online over the years—accessible when Iranians purchase Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to bypass government restrictions. This use of VPNs has provided Christians—both inside Iran and outside—an open door for ministry.   

Urgent prayer is needed to keep this door open. Iranians were completely cut off from the global internet for the first 88 days of the war, and though it has since been partially restored, it remains more heavily filtered than ever before. It remains a priority among regime hardliners to continue the digital isolation of the population.