Naghmeh Abedini: Marriage Restoration to Pastor Saeed Doesn’t Look Promising

Mother’s Day brought heartache for Naghmeh Abedini, the estranged wife of pastor Saeed Abedini.  

The two reportedly attempted to undergo counseling for their strained marriage, but Naghmeh says Saeed was unwilling to cooperate. Now she says the future of their relationship “doesn’t look promising.”

“Some of you have asked updates on our family. I don’t have any more update than the last one I provided in March. I love Saeed and our family and am praying for healing and restoration. Things do not look promising right now, but I have not given up in praying,” Naghmeh posted to Facebook.

Allegations of Saeed’s abuse began mere weeks before the persecuted pastor was set free in a prisoner exchange. From 2012 until the beginning of this year, Naghmeh had been his tireless advocate.

Then, something broke inside the wife and mother. Her personal letter to supporters about the abuse was quickly made public. Then, shortly after Saeed landed in the states, she filed for legal separation.

Soon, national secular outlets reported domestic abuse charges attributed to the pastor as early as 2007.

But Saeed says his wife’s charges are false. The pastor says he had no idea about his conviction until the Statesman reported it earlier this year.

“I believe courts can make mistakes too,” Saeed said in an interview. “They are not God; they can make a mistake. I talked with Franklin Graham. He asked me to keep silent and not say anything about anyone. Graham encouraged me, ‘Let other people defend you.’ I think the court made a mistake, and I didn’t know that I’d been guilty until three weeks ago. I didn’t know that I got a sentence of 90 days in court until three weeks ago. No one told me.”

Since the media attention, Naghmeh dropped off the social media grid while Saeed began posting daily devotionals, challenging believers to consider the cost and surrender of following Christ.  

Both, however, say their hearts are inclined toward prayer, and they are asking their supporters to join them in lifting up their marriage and family to the throne of heaven.