For the first time since 1988, a representative of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States was invited to testify before a Congressional committee on the situation of the Baha'is in Iran and, for the first time, on Egypt.The hearing was held on Friday, June 30, before the House International Relations Committee Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations.

The topic of the hearing was "Can Religious Pluralism Survive in the Middle East: The Plight of Religious Minorities." Ms. Kit Bigelow, director of the Office of External Affairs of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of the United States, testified on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly, saying in part: "The Baha'i communities in Egypt and Iran are both threatened by deliberate, long-term and well-documented government strategies dedicated to their eventual destruction. In both cases, the threats have recently become more dire, and the situations more urgent."

A full transcript and video of the testimony can be accessed on the website of the U.S. House of RepresentativesCommittee on International Relations: wwwc.house.gov/international_relations/afhear.htm . The testimony of the Baha'i representative begins at 2:48:00. The Baha'i situations in Egypt and Iran are also discussed at length in the testimony by Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom John Hanford and Ms. Nina Shea from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.