Pastor Saeed Abedini remains in jail despite Iran deal proposal
While Congress has been debating over President Barack Obama's Iran nuclear deal proposal, Pastor Saeed Abedini's family and friends continue to plead for his release to be included in the agreement as the American preacher remains imprisoned.
According to the Catholic News Agency, Pastor Abedini is still experiencing harsh treatment behind bars as he enters his third year in Iran's Rajai Shahr prison.
On August 6, prison guards reportedly targeted the American pastor when his cell was raided for no apparent reason.
There are no clear details given regarding Abedini's current condition since the local government has rejected the pleas of his relatives who are out of the country to pay him a visit. Requests for phone calls have also been turned down, according to reports.
Abedini was born and raised as a Muslim in Iran, but he later converted to Christianity as a grown-up in 2000. His American citizenship was obtained after he married Naghmeh, who is also an American citizen.
While starting house churches was technically legal in Iran, his efforts later earned complaints from the government. So, though he was already converted to Christianity, he had no choice but to turn his attention toward efforts for humanity that did not involve religion.
In September 2012, while visiting non-religious orphanages, Pastor Abedini was arrested on "threatening national security" charges and was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Now serving nearly three years in the Iranian prison, Abedini and his family's efforts to get him out of the notorious country were seemingly rejected by the American government.
In a bid to somehow help the pastor's cause, advocates have called out to Congress to turn down the president's proposed Iran deal, unless the country releases imprisoned Americans, which include Pastor Abedini.
Mrs. Abedini has faced Congress to help advocate for her husband's release, and reports say it is now up to the American government to heed the calls for persecuted Christians in Iran.
