Iranian Forces Raid Home, Arrest Two Baha'is

Iranian authorities arrested two members of the Baha'i religious minority in northern Rasht on Tuesday. 

Nazila Khanipour and her son, Vesal Heravi, were apprehended during a raid on their home and workplace by Intelligence Department forces, according to reports.

The arrests come amidst a documented increase in pressure on the Baha'i community in Iran.

Both Khanipour and Heravi were reportedly taken to an unknown location following the raid. 

Sources close to the family say security forces also searched their residences and confiscated personal belongings, including mobile phones.

The Baha'i faith is not recognized by the Iranian government, and its followers have faced systematic discrimination for decades.

For more than four decades, Baha'is have been systematically persecuted in Iran because of their faith and are often accused of being spies or opposed to the Iranian government. 

The Baha'i International Community states that no evidence has ever been provided to substantiate these charges.

The Iranian government has intensified its crackdown on members of the Baha'i faith, imprisoning dozens of them on spurious charges over the past year, denying them access to higher education and livelihoods, and confiscating or destroying their personal properties.