TEHRAN (ANS) -- The Armenian Anglican Church in Tehran has been ordered to quit its Friday Persian language service.

According to a story by the Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN), the church in Nader Shah Avenue ( Ghaem Magham) is one of the few established churches in Iran which was still allowed to have Persian language services for Persian speaking Christians.

FCNN said officers of the Islamic Court informed church officials that if they ignore the order and continue to hold services on Friday, a sacred day for Muslims, their church building will be bombed “as happens in Iraq every day.”

FCNN said last month two other churches in Tehran holding Persian language services were ordered to quit holding their Friday prayer meetings.

FCNN said Christian services held on Friday have for decades been problem free. Sunday is a regular working day.

FCNN said it appears that Islamic authorities believed the new restriction would hold back the rapid spread of Christianity.

FCNN sources in Tehran are also reporting the demise of all Christian training and educational classes for new Christians. These Saturday classes, FCNN said, had been held for decades by the Tehran Central Assembly of God.

FCNN said the Ministry of State Security has declined to discuss the change in policy.

Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, http://www.joyjunction.org He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "Homeless in the City." Additional details on "Homeless in the City" are available at http://www.homelessinthecity.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@comcast.net.