Prayer vigil held for pastor imprisoned in Iran

Thursday marked two years since Saeed Abedini was jailed for his faith.

It has been two years since Pastor Saeed Abedini was imprisoned in Iran for preaching his Christian faith. On Thursday evening, his wife Naghmeh Abedini and Christian evangelist Franklin Graham hosted a prayer vigil in Washington, DC to encourage worldwide prayer for those imprisoned for their faith.

"The kids and I are longing to see Saeed returned home safely to us," Naghmeh Abedini said in a press release. "The kids have been suffering for too long. Our family is ready. It is time. We are praying for a miracle. My hope is that, as thousands gather together on September 26, our governments and leaders will be reminded of the importance of religious freedom for all and continue to pressure Iran to secure Saeed’s release.”

Thousands were expected to gather for vigils in about 30 countries according to the Be Heard Project, which is coordinating the event.

A similar event took place in 2013 on the one-year anniversary of Abedini's arrest. One day later President Obama called Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to express concern about Abedini’s treatment and called for his release.

Abedini was arrested in July 2012 while building a government-approved orphanage, and he is currently serving an eight-year sentence for threatening national security.

A press release stated that the pastor's plight "remains urgent as he faces physical torture, malnourishment, death threats and psychological abuse at the hands of the Iranian regime and fellow inmates, including those affiliated with the Islamic State."

Sources: Huffington Post and Christian Post