Pray for Tabriz

I live in Tabriz, a historic city in the northwest of Iran, not far from the borders of Turkey and Azerbaijan. For centuries this place has been a crossroads of cultures, trade, and ideas. The great Tabriz Bazaar — one of the largest covered markets in the world — still hums with merchants and craftsmen whose families have traded here for generations. Our people are mostly Azerbaijani Turks, proud of our language, history, and deep sense of identity.

But these are uneasy days. The war that has spread across Iran has reached our city as well. Recently, military strikes hit missile facilities near Tabriz, damaging bases and shaking neighborhoods with explosions. People talk about the blasts quietly in the markets, unsure what the next day might bring. At the same time, protests that began across Iran in late 2025 over economic hardship and political frustration have also touched cities like ours, bringing heavy crackdowns and tension across the country.

Despite all of this, life continues. Families gather for tea. Students walk through university gates. Shopkeepers open their stalls in the bazaar each morning. Yet beneath the ordinary routines is a deep longing — for freedom, stability, and truth. Many here feel caught between the pressures of politics, tradition, and uncertainty about the future.

As a follower of Jesus in Tabriz, faith is quiet and careful. Believers meet in homes, pray in whispers, and trust that God is moving even when it seems hidden. I believe this city — known for revolutions and resilience throughout history — may yet see a different kind of awakening, one that begins not in the streets but in the hearts of its people.