At least 15 members of the Baha’i faith have been arrested in several Iranian cities.

The reason for the new round of arrests on November 15 in Tehran, Isfahan, and Mashhad is not clear.

A spokeswoman with the Baha’i International community told RFE/RL’s Radio Farda that authorities have also shut down Baha’i-run shops in several cities, including Kerman and Rafsanjan.

Baha'is routinely face persecution in Iran, where their faith is not officially recognized.

In recent years, a number of Baha’i leaders have been jailed and Baha’i cemeteries have been reportedly desecrated.  

Last year, the United Nations special rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsak, called on Iran to take concrete steps to protect Baha'i and other religious minorities in Iran.