Pastor Saeed Abedini Released from Iranian Prison!

BREAKING NEWS - CBN NEWS

Saeed Abedini Released from Iranian Prison

Saturday, 01-16-2016

Iran has released four imprisoned U.S citizens, including American Pastor Saeed Abedini, as part of a trade, according to an Iranian news media.

A report by the semi-official ISNA news agency quoted a statement from the Tehran prosecutor's office as saying the inmates were freed "within the framework of exchanging prisoners." It did not elaborate.

 U.S. officials would not immediately confirm the announcement, but they had indicated a prisoner deal would be separate from Saturday's expected "implementation" of the landmark nuclear deal.

The American Center for Law and Justice confirmed the release.

 "We can confirm. He has been released," said Jordan Sekulow with the ACLJ.

 Nagmeh Abedini. Saeed's wife, also wrote on her Facebook page that "It is confirmed: Saeed is released!!!"

Pastor Saeed Abedini was detained for sharing his faith in September 2012. He was sentenced in 2013 to eight years in prison. His family said he was beaten and denied medical treatment while in the Iranian prison.

At time of arrest, he was running an orphanage in Iran which the government knew about.

Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, Former U.S. Marine Amir Hekmati of Flint, and Siamak Namazi, a businessman and the son of a politician from the shah's era, were also released. All four are dual U.S.-Iranian citizens.

U.S. officials say the four Americans were to be flown from Iran to Switzerland on a Swiss plane and then brought to a U.S. military base in Landstuhl, Germany, for medical treatment.

Stay with CBN News for more on this developing story.