Baha’i man stabbed to death in Iran

A member of the Baha’i faith has been stabbed to death in Iran in what’s been called an act of religious persecution, a Baha’i organization reports.

The Baha’i International Community identify the victim as Farhang Amiri, 63, from the city of Yazd in Iran.

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The incident reportedly occurred on September 26, but information only emerged today.

“Unfortunately, such a heinous act is a consequence of a longstanding, systematic effort by the Iranian authorities to encourage hatred and bigotry against Baha’is,” says Bani Dugal, a Baha’i representative at the United Nations.

Iran allows religious freedom for several minorities but targets the Baha’i faith, which believes in unity among religions and equality between men and women.

Terraces of the Baha’i Faith, overlooking Haifa and the coast (Oren Fixler/Flash90)

The Baha’i faith considers Bahaullah, an Iranian born in 1817, to be the latest prophet sent by God, a major divergence from Islamic orthodoxy.