News
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SAT-7 Statement on Middle East Crisis (28 February 2026)
As we watch the news unfolding this morning with heavy hearts we ask for emergency prayers for the people of the Middle East.
Support continues for viewers in Iran amid ongoing grief
International headlines are quick to move on from devastating world events. But at SAT-7, we continue to stand with those whose heartache continues long after the story has dropped down in the news. For SAT-7’s viewers in Iran, the fear, grief and pain of recent weeks has not ended. The need for prayer, encouragement and connection remain as urgent as ever.
The cost of faith in the Middle East and North Africa
Lent reminds us of the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert, where He chose faithfulness in the face of deprivation and temptation. Today, hard choices continue to confront believers around the world, asking what they are willing to give up in order to follow Christ.
Restoring churches – and hope – for Iraqi Christians
“After all these years, and with church restorations despite war, we say that Christian faith remains constant and stronger than all circumstances,” said Ismail, a believer from Iraq who survived the so-called Islamic State (IS) terrorist group.
Standing in the gap : daily prayer for Iran
As conditions in Iran remain deeply unstable and people across the country are grieving and traumatised, SAT-7 PARS has launched a new daily initiative to support viewers with much-needed presence, prayer and solidarity.
Equipping North Africans “to tell their own stories”
“I first heard about Jesus through SAT-7. For a full year, SAT-7 was my only discipleship source – my church on screen – before I knew another believer. Now I want to create content to reach others the way SAT-7 reached me.”
Dari learning program brings help and hope to Afghans
Across Afghanistan, formal schooling is restricted or inaccessible for millions. But families and small communities are accessing literacy and learning in their homes, villages and shared spaces through SAT-7 PARS program Sun of Hope .
Cries from Iran break through internet blackout
"Today, more than ever, the people of Iran need your prayers." SAT-7 PARS viewer in Iran During brief windows when Iranians have been able to access the internet over the last few days, SAT-7 viewers inside Iran have contacted our Persian channel to ask for ongoing prayer and express their hopes for the country’s future after weeks of turmoil and tragedy.
Satellite programs offer lifeline of hope to Iranians
SAT-7 PARS is continuing to broadcast live and pre-recorded programs into Iran via satellite television – a vital lifeline of hope and encouragement amid the country’s ongoing internet shutdown. All of the Persian-language channel’s live programs are focusing on the situation in Iran, where people have been protesting on the streets for more than two weeks and thousands of people are feared to have been killed.
Highlighting inspiring stories from Oman and Saudi Arabia
SAT-7’s Youth for an Enabling Society (YES) project is expanding its coverage in the Arab world after overcoming challenges to film inside Oman and Saudi Arabia. It proved particularly difficult to gain permission to enter and film inside the latter, and many of their initial approaches to Saudi influencers were rejected. But with perseverance, the team finally established trust through showcasing their previous work filmed in other Arab countries and shared on the project’s Our Generation Plus social pages. They went on to film nine inspiring stories from Saudi Arabia.
Statement from SAT-7 PARS in support of the people of Iran
For almost two weeks, people across Iran have taken to the streets to express their profound anger about the continued daily suffering experienced by so many in the country.
Supporting viewers in Iran as protests spread
Live programs on SAT-7 PARS are offering hope and intercession for the people of Iran as protests continue to spread across the country. The channel went live across all its platforms on Monday (5 January) with Towards the Light , a special program in response to the situation, which featured biblical reflections, worship and prayers for different groups of people in Iranian society.
Christmas programs bring hopeful message for viewers across MENA
At the end of a year in which conflict and pain are continuing across many areas of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), SAT-7’s Christmas programs are bringing hopeful messages of faith from believers across the region.
Sharing hope and faith with wounded children from Gaza
Six-year-old Omar was orphaned and lost an arm when his home in Gaza was bombed. Teenager Amir lost relatives and fingers on his hand in a blast that left him trapped for 24 hours. The two youngsters, who are both receiving medical treatment in Lebanon, were invited to SAT-7’s Beirut studio to take part in a moving Christmas special of You Are Not Alone titled “ Zero Distance” , which will air on 26 December.
Persian festival points believers to Christ’s light in darkness
In popular imagination, Christmas often seems distinctly “Western”: snow and spruce, cards and carols, fireside fruitcake. Traditions and imagery that are soundly rooted in Victorian Europe. But for Persians, the symbolism of an ancient eastern festival that celebrates light overcoming darkness resonates powerfully with the message of Christmas.
Lives changed through multi-language project
SAT-7’s multi-language project Reconnecting the MENA to Hope – which is powered by resources from Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) – has been receiving fantastic feedback from across the region and has helped many people encounter God’s life-changing love.
SAT-7 highlights church unity and enduring faith during Pope’s Middle East visit
SAT-7 CEO Rita El-Mounayer and SAT-7 Lebanon Executive Director Maroun Bou Rached accompanied Pope Leo XIV on his first official foreign visit, travelling to Türkiye and Lebanon as Vatican-accredited media.
“Begin with Ourselves”, say Lebanon Youth in Call for Peace
Lebanon’s young people are considering their own responsibility to “truly become makers of peace” in a country and region devastated by conflict and division.
Pope Leo XIV and Patriarch Bartholomew Issue Joint Call for Unity and Peace
Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew have today (29 November) signed a Joint Declaration in what SAT-7 CEO Rita El-Mounayer described as “a symbolic bridge built in a world full of walls”.
SAT-7 CEO joins Pope on first overseas trip to Middle East
SAT-7’s CEO Rita El- Mounayer will join Pope Leo XIV on his debut overseas trip this week , travelling to Türkiye and Lebanon on a visit to promote Christian unity and peace in the Middle East.
Creating safe spaces for women affected by gender-based violence
As the world marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November), voices long silenced across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are finally being heard. “He chased me with a big kitchen knife.” “He grabbed me by the hair.” “He yells and hits me.”
The silence of men in the Middle East and North Africa
As International Men’s Day approaches, messages to SAT-7 reveal the unseen emotional and spiritual battles faced by men across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
‘Our generation’ festival celebrates rising filmmakers
The second Our Generation Film Festival highlighted the growing creative energy among young filmmakers across the Arab world – and the role of SAT-7 in giving their voices a platform.
Azeri talk show makes long-awaited return
After a four-year break , Pleasant Chat – SAT-7 TÜRK’s popular Azeri -language talk show – is back. This uplifting Bible-based program, which emphasises the value of women in God’s eyes, is badly needed in a country that lack s resources aimed at Christian women.