Saeed Abedini Addresses Obama in Letter, Thanks Him for Meeting with His Family

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: Jan 29, 2015

Saeed Abedini Addresses Obama in Letter, Thanks Him for Meeting with His Family

Imprisoned pastor Saeed Abedini has written a letter to President Obama following the President’s visit with Abedini’s family last week. In the meeting, Obama told Saeed’s wife Naghmeh Abedini and their two children that freeing the pastor was a top priority. The President also told Abedini’s son Jacob that he would try to bring his father home from Iran in time for his birthday on March 17. 

Abedini’s letter to the President thanked him for meeting with his family and relieving some of the burden that the family carries in his absence. 

"Thank you for your fatherly compassion of letting Jacob know that you will try to get me home by his birthday,” Abedini wrote. “I know that as a father you can truly understand the pain and anguish of my children living without their father and the burden that is on my wife as a single mother.

"I also know how encouraged Christians around the world were to also hear of this meeting. Nothing is more valuable to the body of Christ than to see how the Lord is in controland moves ahead of countries and leadership through united prayer."

The pastor also said that he continues to pray for Obama as he remains in prison. 

"Thank you again for standing up for my family and I and for thousands of Christians across the world who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. President Obama, you have my prayers from inside of these walls. I pray for God's guidance, wisdom and blessing for you as you lead this great nation," he wrote.

Abedini is charged with “threatening the security of the state” and has been sentenced eight years in prison. The pastor was apprehended while visiting Iran to build a secular orphanage. 

Publication date: January 29, 2015



Saeed Abedini Addresses Obama in Letter, Thanks Him for Meeting with His Family