One of the participants (DigitalUmmah) of the thread commented that due to the close association of the Baha’is with Israel, the Iranian government is suspicious of them. This led another Baha’i (Sen McGlinn) to refute his claim. Another member (basher) brought proofs  that the Babism (movement predecessor to Baha’ism) was supported by the then Russian government who were at loggerheads with the Iranian government and therefore the Baha’i cult is no more than a political movement in the garb of religion.

The discussion is as follows:

Baha’is were persecuted in Iran in the 19th century, before Israel existed. The founder, Baha'u'llah, was exiled to Iraq by the Shah of Iran, and then sent as a prisoner to Palestine by the Ottoman rulers, arriving there in 1868. 

Yes, the state-sponsored media in Iran, and Iranian diplomats at the UN, regularly say that the Baha’i Faith is not a religion, but rather a political movement. This is because the constitution guarantees religious freedom in Iran, so they have to define the Baha’i religion as a non-religion.  However the reason it is persecuted, is because it IS a religion, founded after Islam, and they believe that "seal of the prophets" means that God's hands are chained forever. And it is a religious community without any clerical class -- scholars in the Bahai community have no authority, as the community is run by elected "assemblies" of lay people. Those are the main religious reasons for the persecution of the Baha’is. The persecution also entails the confiscation of Baha’i properties, so there is an economic motivation as well. 

Mr Sen McGlinn

The point which you mentioned about the Baha’i persecution in Iran before the formation of Israel was because at that time Baha'ism and its predecessor were movements propped up by the erstwhile Czar regime of Russia who were the traditional political rivals of the Iranian monarchy. At least you agree that after the creation of Israel, Baha’ism has been accommodated inside the occupied state. And they carry out the agenda of Israel in various countries including Iran, which justifies their persecution. Any group which works for an enemy country has to be under watch. I am sure you will agree to that.

If according to Baha’is they have to be law abiding citizens and if the law of the land of Israel doesn’t permit them to spread their ideology in the occupied territory (Israel) similarly Iran too does not allow treason and hence keeps a close eye on them like any other nation for the security of its people.

Why do the Baha’is follow law in letter and spirit in Israel and not in Iran????

Terming the concept of finality of Prophethood as ‘chaining the hands of God’ is absolutely misleading because in Shia Islam guidance continues in the form of Imamate till the Day of Judgment which the Baha’is don’t believe in. You can educate yourself about the concept of Finality of Prophet at thebahaitruth.com

https://thebahaitruth.com/