In our letter dated 19 May 2009, we made reference to the many tasks that face the members of your community, [Iran] both individually and collectively, and alluded to the importance of offering assistance to friends in need. Unemployment and poverty afflict, of course, a great number of people in your nation today. Yet, in view of the economic pressures that have been so unjustly imposed on the Bahá’ís of Iran by some authorities in recent years, it has become more vital than ever that attention be given to caring for those who, despite valiant effort, are unable to provide for themselves. You should do all in your power to ensure that the basic needs of families and individuals are met, carrying out this sacred task with patience and kindness, mindful of the spiritual and moral principles involved and conscious of the dignity of those who require help. Widespread poverty poses a significant challenge to humanity as a whole; if its eradication is not addressed in an equitable manner, no one will escape the consequences of this great injustice. One of the duties, then, of the people of Bahá, is to extend this assistance beyond your immediate community, to the extent possible, and to reach out to your fellow citizens so that you might work together toward a common solution. May purity of heart distinguish all such efforts.
- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 11 June 2009 addressed to the Believers in the Cradle of the Faith; Online Baha’i Reference Library of the Baha’i World Center)
