The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom says Saudi Arabia and Iran are countries of particular concern.
The commission says religious freedom does not exist in Saudi Arabia. It says the kingdom's government promotes extreme religious intolerance around the world.
It says Iran engages in systematic violations of religious freedom, including torture and executions, and that its record on the matter has further deteriorated over the past year.
Both Iran and Saudi Arabia were listed as countries of particular concern last year and the commission is urging U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to keep them on the list this year. It also says Egypt and Iraq are being closely monitored because of violations of religious freedom.