A speech by U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Chair Katrina Lantos Swett on the treatment of religious minorities in the Middle East. Dr. Swett identifies four key countries of particular concern - Egypt, Iraq, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Although the exact mixture of state encouragement, societal tension, and judicial impunity is different for each country, all four have a toxic environment that promotes the abuse of minority populations, their homes, and places of worship. Dr. Swett identifies necessary reforms and calls on the United States to apply pressure on all four to improve their treatment of vulnerable religious groups.