Naghmeh Abedini, the wife of former hostage and Iranian-American Pastor Saeed Abedini, has said that while she is not optimistic her marriage will be restored, she will continue to pray for her estranged husband.
"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," the mother-of-two wrote on Monday in a Facebook post about Mother's Day.
Earlier, Naghmeh revealed that her husband has refused to join her in getting marriage counseling for the physical and emotional abuse she claims went on during their marriage.
"At this point Saeed has not been willing to join me in getting counseling on the abuse which has been a big part of our life together. Once the abuse has been addressed, then that will open the way for us to get marriage counseling on the more common marital issues," Naghmeh said.
She repeated that she loves her husband "more than I have ever loved any human being in my life," but said that abuse must be addressed before reconciliation can occur.
"This is the most loving thing I can do for my husband and children at this time. My love and passion in fighting for Saeed's freedom has not changed, but it has taken a different form on my knees," she added at the time.
During his time inside the Evin Prison in Iran, Pastor Saeed's wife, along with other family members campaigned for his freedom and spread awareness regarding his incarceration.
However, a week after he was released as a result of a prisoner exchange deal in January of this year, Naghmeh filed for legal separation from Saeed. She claimed her husband addiction to pornography forced her to continuously update the public regarding his status while he was in prison. He allegedly did this by threatening her and telling her that their marriage will end if she does not follow his demands.
In turn, Saeed has denied what his wife has said about him and argued that the devil is behind such allegations.
"This is completely coming from Satan, who wants me to stop preaching the gospel and wants people to stop rejoicing for my release, because it was a big victory for the Christian world," he told Christianity Today.
"Now with these false accusations, trying to make the churches all around the world confused - it's clear to me that Satan is behind this."
However, the pastor earlier referred to his wife as a "hero" who "suffered enormously" for his sake: "I will always love her for her sacrifice," he said.
Meanwhile, evangelist Franklin Graham has urged Christians to lift up the couple in prayer as they struggle to save their marriage and refrain from judgment as only themselves and God know the details surrounding the issues between them.
"While we rejoice at his (Saeed Abedini's) new freedom, we now lift him and his wife, Naghmeh, to the Lord for healing in their marriage. Other than God, no one knows the details and the truth of what has happened between Saeed and Naghmeh except them. There's an old saying that there are at least two sides to every story," Graham, the CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse, wrote in January.
"I can tell one thing for sure - not everything that has been reported in the media is true," he asserted. "Satan would like nothing more than to continue to destroy their lives. It is my prayer that this will not happen."
