Tolerance for Christians in Iran?

In Iran, and other neighboring countries in the region, you cannot choose your spiritual beliefs, they've been chosen for you.
There is lots of talk about co-existence with the likes of Christianity and Judaism, but its just talk.
When the rubber hits the road and someone publically declares their free will differently, it can be met first with community intimidation, and through their court system with a death sentence:

Dateline Iran: Article by Jamie Dean of Worldmag.com
"During a final day of hearings in an Iranian court on Wednesday, officials gave Iranian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani a final ultimatum: Recant your Christian faith or face the possibility of execution. Nadarkhani refused to recant.
That sets up a grim prospect for the husband, father of two young children, and pastor of a 400-member congregation in the city of Rasht. The Iranian court could decide as early as this week whether to find the Christian guilty of apostasy and carry out a sentence of death by hanging."

We are quick to say that this is only happening among the "extremists." But similar court systems are being proposed for export to other parts of the world, including the USA. They are not benign, multi-cultural experiments. They are based on the same principles used to condemn Youcef Nadarkhani.
While we don't need to over-react or disrespect other people's views--it is ok to ask tough questions.

My question for today: What is at the core of these laws that can lead to Christian persecution in the hands of extremists?
What is at the core of our laws here where we do not imprison and execute people for free choice of spiritual beliefs?
At least in the short term, let's export the latter as opposed to importing the former.


Update on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011
U.S. State Department issued a statement condemning the conviction of Youcef Nadarkhani and calling for his release:
“Pastor Nadarkhani has done nothing more than maintain his devout faith, which is a universal right for all people. That the Iranian authorities would try to force him to renounce that faith violates the religious values they claim to defend, crosses all bounds of decency, and breaches Iran’s own international obligations.”

What do you believe?