Most of the male diplomats drafting the sanctions against Iran to stop her enriching uranium have not seen friends choked to death by chemical weapons, nor have the female diplomats queued for hours to get a little bit of bread or find they cannot buy soap or paper. The Iranians have: they suffered during the Iran-Iraq war. So their response to the new UN sanctions is– so what? We’ve had worse. But sanctions will cause some suffering, and this will increase the government’s legitimacy to deal with anyone seen to be sympathetic to the West, including Christians. There is an urgent need for diplomats to widen the context and focus on the benefits of Iran and the West working together. This is better for ordinary Iranians, and Christians. Pray for Diplomats at UN to be creative and courageous For both Iran and Israel’s security fears to be assuaged Christians to be protected if clouds of conflict darken