Wife of imprisoned Idaho pastor meets with president

Before President Obama gave a speech at Boise State University on Wednesday, he met with the family of Saeed Abedini, an Idaho pastor serving an eight-year prison sentence in Iran.

Obama talked with Abedini’s wife, Naghmeh, and her two kids for about 10 minutes, long enough for their son to tell the president he would like his daddy home for his birthday in March.

In the past, Naghmeh Abedini expressed concerns that the U.S. government had abandoned her husband. However, she told KIDK Eyewitness News on Wednesday the meeting with Obama was successful.

“I wanted to meet with him. I wanted to convey my heart to him and I could see that I was able to do that,” she said. “And I wanted to get a feel of where he was at, and I could see the compassion and I could see the sincerity, and I could see that he was trying what he could.”

Saeed Abedini has been in prison for “undermining the national security of Iran because of Christian gatherings” for more than two years. His wife has said he was not spreading Christianity, but was operating an orphanage as requested by the Iranian government.

U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, said the Obama administration should not pursue relief from sanctions for Iran until Saeed Abedini and two other Americans imprisoned there are free.

“Why you guys cut loose of all that money when they (Iran) are so cash hungry without putting your hand on it and saying, ‘We’re going to take it off when those three guys are free’ — I cannot believe that they wouldn’t cut those guys loose,” said Risch in a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Iran nuclear negotiations Wednesday. “The administration says it’s the compassionate arm of the government. So be it. But use some compassion. Help Mrs. Abedini and those two little kids. Let’s get this guy home.”

Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken told Risch he was “absolutely right.”

“Saeed Abedini, Amir Hekmati (and) Jason Rezaian must be released,” he said.