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  "path": "/news/migrant-crisis-asylum-seeker-iranian-regime-depressed-gateshead",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-03T01:42:35.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Labour's new recycling scheme branded a 'joke' as THOUSANDS of collections missed on first day",
    "Premier League club sells historic British stadium for £172m in bid to avoid PSR punishment",
    "Derelict 18th century hospital awarded millions towards restoration after being left empty for years",
    "Christians in Iran face persecution",
    "using Christianity as a loophole",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nA migrant who fled Iran became depressed after being housed in Gateshead, an immigration tribunal has heard.\n\nThe 20-year-old asylum seeker, known only as FM, arrived in the UK on a small boat in 2022 and said his mental health deteriorated after being relocated to the North East town.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nHe later converted to Christianity, telling the tribunal it helped improve his mental health.\n\nThe Home Office initially rejected his asylum claim, with a lower-tier tribunal also dismissing his appeal.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\nHowever, the case has now reached the Upper Tribunal due to what were described as \"significant developments\" in Iran.\n\nFM, who was 16 when he arrived in Britain, said he had suffered abuse from his father and had been forced to work long hours without pay in Iran.\n\nHe also told the court his brother had been seriously injured in an accident and fell into a coma.\n\nFM is said to have started attending church on the recommendation of a friend and later attributed his brother’s recovery to his involvement in Christianity.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe tribunal was told: \"He started attending Farsi prayer sessions and has since completed the Alpha course and been baptised.\n\n\"At the time of the appeal he was undertaking a second course on Christian practice, and was regularly attending church.\"\n\nAn expert witness told the court FM’s conversion appeared \"genuine and heartfelt\", rather than an attempt to strengthen his asylum claim.\n\nThe tribunal also heard he had taken part in protests in Newcastle against the Iranian regime and appeared in a video shared by an Iranian dissident account with 54,000 followers.\n\n### LATEST NORTH EAST NEWS:\n\n\n\n\n  * Labour's new recycling scheme branded a 'joke' as THOUSANDS of collections missed on first day\n  * Premier League club sells historic British stadium for £172m in bid to avoid PSR punishment\n  * Derelict 18th century hospital awarded millions towards restoration after being left empty for years\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nUpper Tribunal Judge Gaenor Bruce said FM had provided valid reasons for his conversion.\n\nShe ruled that developments in both Iran and his personal circumstances mean the case should be reconsidered by a different judge at the First-Tier Tribunal.\n\nGateshead, home to the Angel of the North, is ranked as the 53rd most deprived local authority out of 296.\n\nOnly two per cent of the town’s population is Muslim, while around 51 per cent identify as Christian - above the national average of 46 per cent.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nChristians in Iran face persecution, with the regime accused of targeting converts since the war began.\n\nThere are believed to be around 800,000 Christians living in the Middle Eastern country.\n\nPastors have previously warned that migrants were using Christianity as a loophole to remain in Britain.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Migrant who fled Iranian regime ‘depressed’ after being sent to Gateshead"
}