U.S. Pastor Saeed Abedini, who is currently suffering from internal bleeding in Iranian prison, said that he is praying for America in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings that killed three people and left over 200 injured last week.

"Pastor Saeed told family members he had heard about the terrorist bombings in Boston on the prison radio, expressed his concern, and told them he is praying for the victims and their families during this very challenging time for our nation," the American Center for Law and Justice revealed on Monday.

The law group, which is representing Abedini's family back in America, noted that the pastor has been allowed a brief visit with his family in Evin Prison in Tehran, where he has been kept since his arrest in September 2012. He was sentenced in January to eight years in prison for "endangering national security," but the ACLJ says that all he was doing was building an orphanage for children in Iran. more >>

A senior Israeli military intelligence analyst revealed Tuesday that the Syrian government, led by President Bashar al-Assad, had deployed chemical weapons on the Syrian people several times in recent weeks.

"The regime has increasingly used chemical weapons," said Brig. Gen. Itai Brun, research commander in the intelligence directorate of the Israeli Defense Forces, in a statement.

"The very fact that they have used chemical weapons without any appropriate reaction … is a very worrying development, because it might signal that this is legitimate," he added. more >>

The head of Foreign Relations for the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion, stated that what is happening in "Syria is a humanitarian crisis," in warning against the threat of genocide against the Christians in Syria.

"What is currently happening in Syria is a humanitarian disaster. I am in a close contact with the leaders of the Orthodox Church of Antioch. They stressed that the Christians face crimes of genocide through expelling of Christians from the areas dominated by the Free Syrian Army or killing them," Hilarion said during a speech at the Greek University of Ersutalis, according to a report in Russia Today.

"Unfortunately, most western politicians ignore these clear realities," he added. more >>

The American Center for Law and Justice received news that U.S. pastor Saeed Abedini has been severely beaten in Evin Prison in Tehran, denied proper medical care, and experiencing fainting spells.

"Pastor Saeed reported today that last week he was severely beaten when the prison officials took him to the hospital. During the weekly prison visit today, Pastor Saeed's family reported that his physical condition is worsening – seeing first-hand the marks and symptoms left by the recent beating. These beatings and the internal injuries are causing Pastor Saeed frequent fainting spells," the law group, which is representing Abedini's wife and two children back in America, revealed in a statement on Monday.

The Iranian-born pastor, who converted to Christianity and was building an orphanage for children when he was arrested in Tehran last year, was sentenced to eight years in prison in January for "endangering national security." The ACLJ called that a "sham trail," however, noting that the real reason behind Abedini's sentence was his faith. more >>

Iranian authorities have posed U.S. Pastor Saeed Abedini with an ultimatum to deny Christ, or spend more time in prison.

"Deny your faith in Jesus Christ and return to Islam or else you will not be released from prison. We will make sure you are kept here even after your 8 year sentence is finished," the authorities said, according to a letter by Abedini  that was recently obtained by the American Center for Law and Justice.

The pastor, who was sentenced to eight years in January in what the law group says was a "sham trial" that targeted him for his Christian faith, had earlier shared of some of the abuse he faced in prison in a letter to his wife, Naghmeh Abedini, and their two children. He has stated that he will not abandon Christ in the face of such persecution. But the newly released letter reveals the specific threats the authorities have made against him in Evin Prison in Tehran. more >>

The World Christian Forum (WCF) expressed its anxiety over the recent attacks targeting Copts in Egypt, stressing that such acts reflect sectarian incitement that could lead to dire consequences.

The forum clarified its final statement during a recent meeting in Amman, Jordan. The participants discussed the current situations of their churches, including the need to develop relations with each other as well as with the citizens of their countries.

WCF also discussed the current environment in the region, which poses a serious threat against to religious minorities. more >>