Pastor Saeed Describes Details of Torture He Endured in Iran Prison - EMILY STEPHENSON/REUTERS CHARISMA NEWS

Saeed Abedini, a pastor from Idaho is pictured with Congressman Robert Pittenger at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany. (Reuters)

Pastor Saeed Describes Details of Torture He Endured in Iran Prison

1/26/2016 EMILY STEPHENSON/REUTERS  charisma news

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Saeed Abedini, an American pastor freed this month from an Iranian prison as part of a U.S.-Iranian prisoner swap, said in a television interview aired on Monday that he was tortured and left in solitary confinement for refusing to sign a false confession and saw other prisoners being taken to be hanged. 

Abedini told Fox News that while in Tehran's Evin prison he was beaten by interrogators, left with an al Qaeda prisoner who tried to kill him and watched people screaming and crying while taken to be hanged. 

"Yes, in interrogation once they beat me very badly because they wanted me to write something I didn't do ... Actually it was in a courtroom that the judge closed the door and the interrogators started beating me, and at that time I got a stomach bleeding," he told Fox News. 

"The worst thing that I saw was when they took some Sunnis for execution...Most of them were Sunnis, some of them were political prisoners.... I can say most were executed for their faith." 

Abedini was supposed to be reunited with his wife and children on Monday at a Christian center in North Carolina, but it was delayed because the family's travel plans have been "in flux day-to-day," a spokesman for the center said. 

The Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove, founded by the famed evangelical minister and his family, said Abedini wanted time to adjust and reconnect with his family after more than three years of imprisonment in Iran. 

Abedini's wife, Naghmeh, told Reuters last week the couple would work on their marriage. She said in a message to supporters that became public that her husband had been abusive and suffered from a pornography addiction. 

Abedini arrived at the Asheville, North Carolina, center on Thursday. He and his avid supporter Franklin Graham, Billy Graham's son, have so far declined comment. 

Abedini, 35, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was sentenced by an Iranian court in 2013 to eight years in prison for allegedly compromising Iran's national security by setting up home-based Christian churches there. 

Abedini was one of five Americans released by Iran in exchange for clemency to seven Iranians who were convicted or facing trial in the United States. The swap was announced at the same time as international sanctions on Iran were lifted in a deal with the United States and other major powers to curb Tehran's nuclear program. 

© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.

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After Years of Demonic Abuse, Pastor Saeed's True Condition Revealed - CBN NEWS CHARISMA NEWS

Saeed Abedini meets with Rep. Pittenger (Courtesy/CBN)

After Years of Demonic Abuse, Pastor Saeed's True Condition Revealed

1/20/2016 CBN NEWS  charisma news

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Pastor Saeed Abedini is in good physical, spiritual, and emotional health just a few days after his release from an Iranian prison, Rep. Robert Pittenger told CBN News.

Pittenger met with Abedini Tuesday afternoon. The two men talked and prayed together for about an hour-and-a-half.

"His spirits are great. He looked in good physical health," Pittenger said. "I think he's come out of it very well, mentally, physically, emotionally—he's engaged."

The North Carolina congressman flew to Landstuhl, Germany, as part of a delegation to meet Abedini and three other freed Americans. He's been a public advocate for the pastor's release since 2013.

For the most part, Saeed was kept in isolation, but in the past six months the Iranians began to give him better food and treatment.

Pittenger believes that's because they planned to release him once the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran was finalized.

"I think the Iranians had probably predetermined they were going to be releasing him, so they took good care of him, I think, the last six months," Pittenger said. "I think they treated him very well and fed him well to make sure he was fattened up and looked good."

Abedini is unsure of his immediate plans but is seeking God's will for his life and his future.

"He is very close to the Lord, we had a wonderful time of prayer. He senses God's calling on his life and he wants to please Him by way of his life and his family first," Pittenger said.

"He prayed very sincerely that he wants to be God's person and he wanted to be responsive to His will in his life and wants to be the caring husband that he desires to be," he said.

The Abedini family faces difficulties upon his return. Saeed's wife, Naghmeh, revealed recently they have struggled in their marriage. An email alleging emotional and verbal abuse by Saeed was published in media reports last year.

Naghmeh admits there will be difficult days ahead as the family seeks a time of healing.

"The reality is that we are not heroes. Jesus is the only hero. He is our only example, and we are broken people with issues," she told CBN News hours after her husband's release.

Watch Naghmeh's full interview with CBN News here: Pastor Saeed home in USA

Pittenger took a pastoral tone when addressing the circumstances.

"It stands in the hand of a healing Jesus. Jesus is in the business of reconstruction," he said. "We come as imperfect vessels to the throne and the grace of God. ... I know he desires to be with his family and be right by the Lord and be right by them, and as I said this is a healing process."

Earlier, Pittenger told CBN News that this phase is very critical for the released prisoners.

"They've come out of a very oppressive environment where they were, for the most part, left in isolation—had a lot of mental torture—and this will take time to process out and help them," he said.

"They've been in a very demonic atmosphere and it's been very oppressive," he said. "The transition in their life is going to be extraordinary. So, just being able to communicate, be back with their families, is going to be a real challenge. This is going to be a very hard process."

Pittenger has been calling for Abedini's freedom since 2013. Evangelist Franklin Graham, who heads the Charlotte-based Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, played a role in enlisting him to the cause.

"Franklin has been a good friend of Mrs. Abedini's through this period. I was encouraged to get involved because of Franklin and also because of Dr. David Chadwick in Charlotte, the pastor of Forest Hill Church. So my interest is there because they asked me to get involved," he said.

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Why Pastor Saeed Abedini's Wife Kept His Abuse Secret Until Now - TIMOTHY C. MORGAN/RNS CHARISMA NEWS

Naghmeh Abedini represents a startling trend of women in the church who often don't report spousal abuse. (Courtesy/RNS/Adelle M. Banks)

Why Pastor Saeed Abedini's Wife Kept His Abuse Secret Until Now

11/23/2015 TIMOTHY C. MORGAN/RNS  charisma news

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The wife of Saeed Abedini, the Iranian-American pastor imprisoned in Iran since September 2012, has had a difficult month.

First Naghmeh Abedini canceled all public appearances after telling supporters by email that her husband had abused her physically, emotionally and sexually. Twelve days later, she released a statement saying she regretted her previous emails. "I was under great psychological and emotional distress," she said.

Iran sentenced Saeed Abedini, a former Muslim who converted to evangelical Christianity, to eight years in prison for his alleged involvement with Iran's burgeoning house-church movement. In Shia-majority Iran, Sunni Muslims, Baha'is, Christians, and other minorities face harassment, arrest, and imprisonment, according to the U.S. State Department.

Since her husband's detention in 2012, Naghmeh Abedini has been publicly advocating for his freedom, winning the support of top evangelical leaders and meeting privately with President Obama, which is why her accusations of spousal abuse came as shock. But those accusations also raise the question: Why do evangelical women wait so long before reporting abuse?

"Many who suffer domestic abuse feel lots of shame, are blamed by others, and do not tell anyone," said Justin Holcomb, a Florida Episcopal priest and seminary professor who co-authored with his wife Lindsey "Is It My Fault? Hope and Healing for Those Suffering Domestic Violence."

"Christian women, in particular, stay far longer in abusive situations and in more severe abuse than their non-Christian counterparts," he added.

So far, social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere show that supporters of the Abedini family were not backing away from Naghmeh after the abuse allegations became public.

"God guide and protect you and especially Saeed at this time when he will not be having visitors that he feels God in a special way during this time. May the angels protect him with a hedge of safety," one supporter posted on Naghmeh Abedini's Facebook page.

Naghmeh Abedini shared few additional details in her initial email alleging abuse, besides saying her husband, 35, was addicted to porn and that the abuse was ongoing even though their contact is limited to Skype and phone calls.

An American citizen and the mother of two children, Naghmeh Abedini said the abuse began in 2002. The two were married in 2004.

Research shows that domestic abuse survivors in general are less likely to receive extensive public support through their local church. According to a 2014 poll from LifeWay Research, about two-thirds of Protestant pastors address domestic abuse from the pulpit once a year or less. Additional research from LifeWay found that only 25 percent of surveyed pastors consider abuse or sexual violence an issue within their congregation.

"Many churches appropriately stress the importance of marriage and family, but some churches wrongly teach that a wife's primary role in life is to protect their husband's or family's reputation," said Holcomb, the Episcopal priest. "Because of this emphasis, those experiencing abuse in their relationship may feel ashamed because they believe they failed in their relationship," Holcomb said.

He said domestic abuse is much more prevalent than many people realize: He cites research that indicates one in four women will experience abuse in an "intimate partner relationship." Holcomb advises pastors to talk more openly about domestic abuse, be accessible to abuse survivors, and collaborate with social agencies and law enforcement.

Abuse is one of the most under-reported crimes, he said. "It is extremely unusual for someone to lie about these kinds of claims."

According to Lenore Walker, a professor at Nova Southeastern University and founder of the Domestic Violence Institute, "Women with strong religious backgrounds often are less likely to believe that violence against them is wrong."

The campaign for release of Abedini continues to have a very high public profile. In January, shortly after delivering the State of the Union address, Obama met with Naghmeh and her two children briefly and pledged to make release of Saeed a top priority.

In a mid-November statement, the American Center for Law and Justice, which is representing the family, said, "What we are focused on is this: bringing home an American pastor who has been wrongly imprisoned in Iran because of his faith."

Beginning about 15 years ago, Abedini reportedly joined local efforts to start up house churches. But about 10 years ago, Iran began an aggressive crackdown on these churches. Abedini, who moved to the U.S. with his family in 2005, shifted his attention from starting house churches to care for Iranian orphans.

In the 2014 book "Too Many To Jail," author-researcher Mark Bradley documents the rapid growth of house church Christians from 1979 to the present day. He describes Iran as having "the fastest growing church in the world" and projects that there may be 1 million Christians in Iran by 2020.

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Naghmeh Abedini: Hope Is Not in Government Officials

Naghmeh Abedini: Hope Is Not in Government Officials

CBNNews.com

Friday, July 17, 2015

Naghmeh Abedini, wife of imprisoned Pastor Saeed Abedini, asked for continued strength for her husband and for her and her family as they continue to fight for his release.

The release of Abedini and four other Americans were not included in a nuclear deal reached this week between world leaders and the Iran.

"The ups and downs have really allowed the Lord to refine me and teach me to keep my eyes on him and my hope on Him instead of governments and officials," she said.

"I want to believe the best for my family, for Saeed and for my children but I continue to be in contact with the State Department and the White House and continue to pressure them that he is released immediately," Naghmeh said.

"He is in the hands of hardliners that are chanting 'death to America.' These are the people that are holding him," she said.

CBN News spoke with Nagmeh Abedini, Saeed wife, who has testified to Congress on his behalf for his freedom. After the deal was reached, she expressed her deep disappointment in it andurged Congress once again to not forget her husband.

Click play to watch her interview. Naghmet Abedini on CBN News interview

Saeed Abedini revealed this week during a visit with his father that he believes he is now a target because he is an American citizen.

He and other Christians imprisoned in Iran fear what may happen next as many inmates are expressing anti-American sentiments since a nuclear deal was reached this week.

It's a threat Abedini knows all too well. On June 3, he was viscously attacked by fellow prisoners. He was punched in the face near his left eye and nose and both eyes were beaten black and blue. However, no bones were broken.

Despite the tensions, Abedini encouraged his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who were disppointed in the nuclear deal that left him and other Americans in prison, saying the God was still in control.

"I know that so many of you have felt that I have been left behind after a deal was reached with Iran and I am still not home," he wrote.

He is in control and He is the One who beautifully writes the history over all governments, presidents, and any P5+1 negotiating team," he said.

Read Pastor Saeed's entire letter below:

I know that so many of you have felt that I have been left behind after a deal was reached with Iran and I am still not home.

I want you to know that as I wrote the thank you letter to President Obama after he had visited my family in January of this year (which he read at the national prayer breakfast), that God is in control of all countries and leadership in the world when the body of Christ comes together in united prayer. He is in control and He is the One who beautifully writes the history over all governments, presidents, and any P5+1 negotiating team.

We are all looking for a safer, more friendly world and because of this desire many of us are happy and others un-happy about the deal. Please join me in using these emotions that have been awakened to give fervor to united prayer for God's chosen people, America, and for the whole world.

Pastor Saeed,
In chains for Christ and chained together in unity

Watch video interview

Persecuted Pastor's Wife Breaks Silence on Obama's Broken Promise

 7/16/2015 LAURA ZUCKERMAN/REUTERS   charisma news

Naghmeh Abedini with her children. (Facebook)

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President Barack Obama should have secured the release of jailed U.S. citizens before sealing a nuclear deal with Iran, and the accord should not win congressional approval until their freedom is guaranteed, the wife of a detained Iranian-American pastor said on Wednesday.

Saeed Abedini, 35, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was sentenced by an Iranian court in 2013 to eight years in prison for allegedly compromising Iran's national security by setting up home-based Christian churches in his native country.

His wife, Naghmeh Abedini of Boise, Idaho, said her husband has faced threats to his life from Islamic militants held in the same prison west of Tehran and that his physical and psychological health has deteriorated from a lack of medical care and from stays in solitary confinement.

Abedini is one of three Americans known to be currently detained in Iran.

His spouse said their release should have been assured before Obama even agreed to the talks that produced a deal on Tuesday aimed at restricting Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

The agreement has drawn fire from Republican lawmakers, but Obama strongly defended it in a news conference on Wednesday, saying it was the only alternative to a nuclear arms race and more war in the Middle East.

Obama also said any notion that he was content with Americans being held in Iran was "nonsense," but insisted that including their fate in the talks would only have undermined the U.S. bargaining position.

"If the question is why we did not tie the negotiations to their release, think about the logic that that creates," he said. "Suddenly Iran realizes ... maybe we can get additional concessions out of the Americans by holding these individuals."

Obama delivered the same message to Naghmeh Abedini and the couple's two young children when he visited them in Boise in January, she said.

The pastor's wife conceded she was not sufficiently well-versed in nuclear matters to evaluate the deal but said parallel talks could have been held to seek the release of her husband and other detained Americans.

She said she was now pinning her hopes on Congress, which must approve the accord. She said Republican leaders and some Democrats have spoken of making congressional approval contingent on the release of the American prisoners.

"It's very difficult for my children. And it's heartbreaking for me to see them growing up without their dad," she said.

© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 

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Obama Just Sided With the Folks Chanting "Death to America, Death to Israel"

7/14/2015 TODD STARNES  charisma news

These Americans are imprisoned in Iran. (Fox)

Tuesday President Obama betrayed Israel and the American people.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it best. He called the deal a "bad mistake of historic proportions."

"Iran is going to receive a sure path to nuclear weapons. Many of the restrictions that were supposed to prevent it from getting there will be lifted," Netanyahu said. "Iran will get a jackpot, a cash bonanza of hundreds of billions of dollars, which will enable it to continue to pursue its aggression and terror in the region and in the world."

It was a deal made out of either sheer ignorance—or out of more nefarious reasons.

Who in their right mind would negotiate in good faith with an enemy who wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth and whose citizens are marching in the streets shouting death to America?

Lost in this diplomatic debacle is the fate of four Americans held hostage by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

One of those men is Saeed Abedini—an Idaho pastor—thrown in prison because of his Christian faith. For nearly three years he has been tortured at the hands of his Muslim captors.

President Obama promised Pastor Saeed's family that his release would be a top priority—but his words were meaningless.

So now Pastor Abedini's wife is turning to Congress—pleading with our elected leaders to save her husband's life.

"I plead with Congress to ensure that my husband, an American citizen, is not left behind," Naghmeh Abedini said.

"Congress holds the key to bringing my husband home, to returning the father to my children," she said. "My children have desperately missed the loving embrace of their father for the last three years of their lives. They have grown up almost half of their lives without their father. Please help us ensure the remainder of their childhood includes both a mother and a father."

Jay Sekulow, the chief counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice, denounced the Obama Administration's deal with Iran and called it "unconscionable" that the agreement did not secure the freedom of Pastor Saeed.

"President Obama told the Abedini family face-to-face that he considered the release of Pastor Saeed a 'top priority,'" Sekulow said. "How could that be a 'top priority' when a deal is reached and Pastor Saeed is left behind?"

At the very least President Obama should pick up the telephone and call Mrs. Abedini and explain why he left her husband behind to be tortured by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Todd Starnes is host of "Fox News & Commentary," heard on hundreds of radio stations. Sign up for his American Dispatch newsletter, be sure to join his Facebook page, and follow him on Twitter. His latest book is God Less America.

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'Viciously' Beaten: Saeed Attacked by Fellow Inmates

'Viciously' Beaten: Saeed Attacked by Fellow Inmates

CBNNews.com

Thursday, June 11, 2015

American Pastor Saeed Abedini was "viciously" beaten last week by fellow prisoners in Iran, theAmerican Center for Law and Justice reports.

His wife, Naghmeh, writes about the attack on her Facebook page, saying, "It is truly heartbreaking to know that one day after I spoke in front of our Congress, Saeed was beaten by fellow prisoners."

The June 3 attack took place as he was attempting to leave his cell. Pastor Saeed was punched in the face near his left eye and nose. Both eyes were beaten black and blue, but no bones were broken.

His attackers also destroyed a small table he used to study and read. Prison guards did not intervene when he called for help.

ACLJ's Tiffany Barrans spoke more about Saeed's situation. Click play below to watch.

"It's time to get Saeed home before it's too late," his wife wrote.

Saeed has been beaten multiple times in the past, including by prison guards.

Presence of God 'Strong' During Saeed's Prison Visit

CBNNews.com

Thursday, February 19, 2015

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Pastor Saeed Abedini's wife, Naghmeh, says that the presence of the Lord was evident during a recent visit from Saeed's father to the prison where her husband is being held in Iran.

Saeed is currently serving an eight year sentence in Iran's worst prisons after being arrested for his Christian faith.

Naghmeh said her father-in-law was able to visit her husband Wednesday, and the men were able to pray and read the Bible together as guards watched.

"The normal 20 minute visit turned into 40 minutes which turned into an hour which turned into a few hours! Saeed and his father were shocked the amount of time that they were allowed," Naghmeh wrote on her Facebook page.

"The presence of the Lord was so strong that the guards did not want to intervene and end the visit! Praise the Lord!" she said.

Naghmeh said that Saeed was able to hear words of encouragement from those praying for him, and was reminded that he is not forgotten.

She ended her post asking for more prayers for her husband.

"Continued prayers appreciated for Saeed's health, his nutrition, and for clean water. The quality of the prison water is very poor and so is the nutrition (lack of protein). Saeed has not been able to purchase mineral water or protein from the prison store as they have stopped providing them for purchase which has affected his health," she wrote.

The ACLJ has launched a letter writing campaign to Iran's president on Pastor Saeed's behalf.

You can join the initiative by sending a pre-written letter, or you can write your own words to the Iranian president at the Be Heard Project: Saeed Abedini.

'It's a Miracle.' Saeed's Wife Says Obama Will Meet with Her

CBNNews.com

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

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Naghmeh Abedini, the wife of imprisoned American pastor Saeed Abedini, says she and her children will meet with President Barack Obama Wednesday.

She tweeted Tuesday night, "Praise God!  It is a miracle!"

The Idaho Statesman reports Naghmeh Abedini received confirmation Tuesday that Obama agreed to meet with her and her two young children.

Obama is making a rare visit to Boise, Idaho, on Wednesday, which is also happens to be the hometown of Pastor Saeed Abedini.

Earlier Tuesday, ACLJ Executive Director Jordan Sekulow talked more about the president's visit and what he hopes to see unfold on CBN News.

Abedini is a U.S. citizen who has been wrongfully imprisoned by Iran for his Christian faith. His wife, Nagmeh , wrote a letter to the White House, requesting a meeting with the president while he's in town.

"My heart leapt with hope when I heard that you would be visiting my hometown of Boise, Idaho," she wrote.

"I have been praying and wanting to meet with you... to have you look into my eyes and see the piercing pain that has been there since my husband's imprisonment; to see my kids and to know that they have missed the warm embrace of their dad for nearly three years," she continued.

"You speak about the need to protect religious freedom and human rights," she said. "Saeed is imprisoned merely because of his Christian faith. My husband has committed no crime - he chose to exercise his God-given right to choose his own faith."

The American Center for Law and Justice also wrote to the president, saying this is the perfect opportunity for the U.S. government to show more of an interest in Abedini's plight.

"There are public reports that the United States may reach a nuclear deal with Iran without securing the release of Americans held captive in that country," ACLJ Executive Director Jordan Sekulow wrote.

"When you are in Boise, we request that you take a few minutes from your schedule to meet with Pastor Saeed's wife, Naghmeh," the letter continues. "After enduring years of fear and uncertainty, she deserves to be heard."

A Painful Reality: The Long Battle to Free Saeed

Naghmeh Abedini, wife of Pastor Saeed

By Charlene Aaron

CBN News Reporter

Friday, September 26, 2014

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BOISE, Idaho -- For the last two years, American Pastor Saeed Abedini has been in an Iranian prison because of his Christian faith.  Christians around the globe have been praying, and many will join rallies across the country on Sept. 26 to push for his release. 

Saeed's wife, Naghmeh, has led the fight. She told CBN News it has been long and painful. Naghmeh said when she and Saeed married she never dreamed they would ever be apart.

"I never dated before Saeed," she said, adding, "He was my everything and I processed everything with him, my best friend."

Saeed, an Iranian-born Christian and U.S. citizen, is serving eight years in the brutal Rajai Shahr prison, one of Iran's worst penal facilities, for doing nothing more than preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Iranian government also calls him a national security threat for openly practicing his faith outside of their country.

***According to the ACLJ, nearly 300,000 people worldwide have signed the BeHeard Project petition in an effort to get him released.

Let your voice be heard, sign the petition. 

While in prison Saaed has endured torture and threats from guards and fellow inmates.  He has also suffered from internal bleeding and other health issues, but prison officials have denied him proper medical attention.

Today, he faces yet another threat inside the prison walls from members of the Islamic State, or ISIS.

"They've been beheading Christians all over Iraq and Syria," Naghmeh said. "Here's someone who converted from Islam and he's an American citizen and so they want his life in that prison so it's been really intense for him in that prison."

Saeed's parents have been allowed to visit him once a week in prison, but he has not been able to call his wife back home in the U.S.  It is a painful reality for Naghmeh and the couple's two young children, ages 8 and 6.

Earlier this year, Naghmeh produced video messages of her children asking for President Barack Obama's help to bring their father home.

"My son was 4 and my daughter was 5, so this is her 3rd birthday without him," she explained. "I never imagined. It was too painful to realize that my kids will grow up without their dad and it's been painful."

"I had a lot of emotional days," she commented.

'Abandoned' by the US

Naghmeh has turned her pain into a crusade for her husband's release, taking her case to both the United Nations and the U.S. Congress.

She said at times she feels abandoned by the U.S. government.

"There's been no efforts to get him out outside of a few statements here and there," she added. "I really do believe that Iran, if there's incentive they will release him if someone's stern with them," she said.

The U.N. recently issued a report on Saeed's case in which it strongly condemned Iran and called for his release.

When he was first imprisoned, Saeed and his wife felt bitterness against Iran.  But now Naghmeh prays for her husband's captors and that God would use Saeed's story for his glory, even if that means she never sees him again.

"It's been this really intense moment where my eyes have to be on Jesus every day," she told CBN News,

"If I turn it to the Iranian government, what they're saying, or our government - I will fall," she added. "I can't look at who's saying what and who's doing what for Saeed. I just have to look at Jesus."

It is a prayer she also prays for Saeed. 
 
"I've been praying that God would just give him grace for that day," she said.

Opportunity to Witness

One positive result that has come from Naghmeh's journey to free her husband has been the unique platform to share the Gospel.

She said she has been able to share in front of the U.S. Congress a few times, different parliaments in Europe as well as all over the world, telling them that Jesus is the answer.

She said it is a message that Saeed also shares while in chains.

In letters from prison, she said he shares how he hugs those who persecute him in the prison and how he has led many Muslims to Christ.

"He's in the darkest place and he's sharing Christ where they never would have a chance to hear about Christ if he wasn't there," she told CBN News.

"I've heard that some of the prisoners have said, 'I don't feel in prison anymore,'" Naghmeh shared. "'I feel free because I found Christ.'"

Strengthening the Persecuted Church

While she said her heart aches for her husband's safe return, she said his story is strengthening the body of Christ around the world.

Prayer vigils in 493 cities in more than 30 countries will mark Saeed's 2nd anniversary in prison with a specific focus on the persecuted Church.

"This is the 2nd year he's in prison because of his Christian faith and (we're) not only remembering Saeed but we're remembering other persecuted Christians," Naghmeh said. "We're coming together and praying."

"My eyes are on the Lord," she continued. "That's where Saeed's deliverance will come from and that's why this day of prayer is so important to me."

That is what keeps her going.

"…like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in saying God will deliver me, but if he doesn't I give my future, my life to you," she said. "Whatever happens I'm going to be okay."

And she is confident that Saeed would agree.

"I know he would say it's worth it, if I die in this cell it's worth it. That's what keeps us going is knowing that it's for Jesus," she said.

Watch video: The-Long-Battle-to-Free-Saeed

Pastor Saeed Forcibly Returned to Prison after Beating

Pastor Saeed - in Iranian prison

Pastor Saeed Forcibly 

Returned to Prison after Beating

CBN News 

May 21, 2014

Saeed Abedini, a U.S. pastor who has been imprisoned for his faith, was severely beaten at an Iranian hospital, forcibly removed, and returned to the brutal Rajai Shahr prison.

His Iranian family claims the transfer was unexpected and the reason is unclear. But one of the guards involved in the transfer suggested recent Iranian nuclear talks could be a motive, the family said.

"This is an extremely disappointing development -- one that breaks my heart," Naghmeh Abedini, Pastor Saeed's wife, said.

"Our family is deeply saddened and we continue to pray for Saeed -- for his safety and his release. We are very grateful that so many people around the world continue to pray for Saeed," she added.

In March, Pastor Saeed experienced similar treatment. He was transferred to the same hospital in shackles and beaten by guards. Abedini was then denied medical treatment and visits from relatives.

Saeed's situation at the hospital had improved after global criticism. He was allowed frequent visits from local family members and was given nutritional meals.

His forcible return to prison comes as efforts continue around the world to secure his release.

According to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) nearly 260,000 people from around the world have already signed the BeHeardProject petition, in an effort to get him released.

Let your voice be heard, sign the petition.

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