Despite the hard-line Islamist regime in Iran the underground church is growing, Release International has reported.

Evangelists are sharing their faith in towns and villages and planting new churches, according to the international persecution watchdog.

Iranian partners of Release International, which supports the persecuted church, report significant growth in the activities of the house churches - including outreach.

RI is supporting the underground church in Iran through leadership training seminars and by encouraging women's fellowships.

"Newly-trained house church leaders then pass on their training to others and Christian women are growing more confident in their faith in this repressive society," RI explains.

Observers have said women's rights are being rolled back by Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Reports have suggested that leaders in the underground church have been active in evangelism in cities, towns and villages. Many have been working successfully to share their faith in remote areas away from the watchful eye of the authorities, RI reports.

One young leader travelled out to a village to visit a family of six who had just become Christians and needed to be taught about the faith.

She found them living in a poor damp house with only a few old pieces of furniture. When they heard she was a Christian they gave her an excited welcome, and explained: "We were asking God to send someone to bring a Bible and teach us."

They continued: "Jesus has revealed himself to us. And we have realised the character of Jesus is different to the character of so many other prophets we know of. He is superior to all of them. He is exceptional.

"We believe that Jesus is alive today and we are so much in love with him," they told her.

The young Christian leader was touched by their stories and has been visiting them once a week to set up a church in their home and teach them from the word of God.

Andy Dipper, Release International's CEO, said: "Despite the challenges the church in Iran is facing, the number of Christians is increasing and they are growing in their faith."

RI has also set up a women's fellowship and arranged a seminar to help Christian women to understand their value and to learn how to be effective as Christians in Iran.

Women came from across the country from a network of underground churches, RI reported. They were open and enthusiastic to learn from the Bible and were active participants in the sessions.

One told Release International: "I had no self-confidence in my ministry prior to this conference. Sometimes when I was asked by the church leaders to share a message I would feel impotent. But now I am encouraged. After I go back I want to be in the place God wants me to be."

Dipper said: "Jesus is setting these women free to be confident and effective witnesses in this repressive society. Release is now planning to run a further seminar for Iranian women in the future."

Release International supports the persecuted Church in 30 nations. For more information please visit: www.releaseinternational.org