after the overthrow of the shah during the iranian revolution, the islamic regime targeted the baháʼís in iran, since they held a deep hostility toward them as they saw them as infidels. as nationalism grew in iran, baháʼís were viewed as unpatriotic and linked to foreign elements. during this time the baháʼís were accused of being anti-islamic, agents of zionism, friends of the shah's regime, and being engaged with the us and british governments. the national spiritual assembly of the baháʼís of iran, both privately and publicly, addressed the charges against them point by point, but received no response to their rebuttal.