Edwin Keshish-Abnous

In early 2001, I began my media ministry through social media and short video recordings, while also partnering with other like-minded leaders, including Pastor Baghestani. Since I was living in the United States, I was able to reach Iranians inside the country through satellite signals and digital media.

At that time, there was no Mohabat TV and no Farsi-language Christian satellite channel. The best option available was to purchase airtime on Iranian secular TV stations to broadcast Christian content. That is exactly what we did. We partnered with Iranian channels such as Channel One and Pars TV to air our live show.

As a couple of young Iranian Christians passionate about evangelism, we saw this as one of the most effective ways to reach the unreached nation of Iran. And God used it.

In the years that followed, I partnered with another production house called Voice and Face of Love Ministries, along with Pastor Firooz and other ministry partners. Together, we produced several hours of content every week to be broadcast through Andisheh TV.

Around that time, Mohabat TV began to emerge. This remarkable ministry launched on March 1, 2006, as the first Iranian Christian satellite TV channel broadcasting 24/7 into Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. Its signal also reached Europe, allowing us to minister to Iranians in the diaspora.

That is when I joined this incredible ministry, and it has been my privilege to serve there ever since.

As we began broadcasting into Iran, we received tremendous feedback from viewers. People reached out by phone, through social media, and by email. The response was overwhelming, and it quickly became clear that a 24/7 call center was needed.

Out of that need, Mohabat TV launched its global call center, with agents serving across different time zones so they could always be available to connect with viewers. This became a vital part of the ministry, helping us stay in touch with those who were responding to the gospel.

Not long after, Operation World announced that Iran had the fastest-growing church in the world, with an annual growth rate of 20%. This confirmed what we had already been seeing through the call center: many people were contacting us, and many were choosing to follow Jesus.

As the ministry expanded, Mohabat TV continued to develop new ways to serve the Iranian people. We established the London Pathway for Life programming initiative and a strategic Turkish studio hub to support regional production.

Our flagship weekly live shows blended theology, testimonies from Christians with Muslim backgrounds, Iran-focused news, and audience interaction. These programs gave us the opportunity to reach a wide range of viewers with content that was both relevant and spiritually meaningful.

At the same time, pressure on house churches increased. Church buildings were forcibly shut down, and the government began raiding house churches. Yet even in the face of persecution, the church continued to grow.

Because of the rising need to support isolated believers, we turned even more intentionally to technology. We wanted to create a digital ecosystem for believers who were not connected to house church networks.

That vision led to the launch of Mohabat Virtual Church in October 2019, just before the pandemic began. When COVID-19 shut down much of the world, the virtual church was already active and strong, streaming every week.

Mohabat Virtual Church has provided a safe and secure place for many Iranians inside the country to receive encouragement, take part in discipleship training, and grow into leadership. Since 2019, we have not missed a single week. Our mission remains to nurture isolated believers and help them stand strong in their faith.

In 2018, Mohabat TV and its faithful partners were honored with the NRB International Impact Award. As the first Iranian Christian TV ministry to receive this recognition, it was a meaningful acknowledgment of the collective effort of more than 100 ministry partners who shared the same vision.

Now, twenty years have passed, and the story is still being written. The story of Mohabat TV is ultimately a story of God — a story in which He has allowed us to take part. It is a story of glory, built through obedience, wisdom, and perseverance.

We are grateful for every partner, every team member, and every viewer who has responded to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We give thanks for every house church that remains strong and for every isolated believer who continues to stand firm.

The work is not finished. The vision continues.