ABSTRACT
Iran is the world’s only Shia religious state. Religious freedom for at least some of the non-Muslim minorities—the Bahais being a major exception— has coexisted with repression, albeit with some contradictions. Ironically, Iran’s Muslims have in some ways had less freedom than their non-Muslim counterparts. In a sort of mirror image of Saudi Arabia, Iranian Sunni Muslims are highly restricted in Iran, while Shia Muslims have been forced to adhere to the regime’s interpretation of their religion.
