When Mehrdad Mehdipour was arrested on June 22 by federal immigration agents at the home of his Colorado Springs host and friend, Iranian Christian-advocate Mohamad Faridi, Faridi was angered.

Mehdipour had been surrounded, cuffed and hauled away based on “lies from the pit of hell,” he fumed.

Catching himself, Faridi added, “I need to be a good Christian.” He said it’s a thought he’s turned to often recently.

Mehdipour’s apprehension was part of a national immigration raid targeting Iranians, according to a news release from the Department of Homeland Security on June 23. The release said Mehdipour was processed for expedited removal from the United States in 2023.

He was one of 11 Iranians arrested in the June 22 sweep, the release stated. It also said he was one of two Iranian men a

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