The U.S. Department of State has published its 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, and the section on Iran mentions the Baha’is numerous times as victims of human rights abuses. The report cites arbitrary arrests and detentions, including that of the seven Baha’i leaders; illicit and unlawful confiscation of property; lack of constitutional protection for Baha’is; and other abuses.

One paragraph reads, “The government continued to repress Baha'is and prevent them from practicing their religion by closing their places of worship. It banned them from government and military leadership posts, the social pension system, and public schools and universities, unless they concealed their faith. The courts also denied Baha'is the right to inherit property and refused to recognize Baha'i marriages or divorces. According to the law, Baha'i blood is considered ‘mobah,’ meaning Baha'is may be killed with impunity. The government repeatedly pressured Baha'is to recant their religious beliefs in exchange for relief from mistreatment.”