Nagameh Adedini seen here in this undated photo with husband Pastor Saeed Abedini. (Courtesy of ACLJ)

By Perry Chiaramonte  Naghmeh Abedini has been told by attorneys for her husband, Saeed, to expect the worst at Monday’s trial, where the 32-year-old husband and father faces the capital charge of compromising national security. Supporters believe the charges are directly related to Abedini’s work nearly a decade ago starting a house church movement in Iran, and the judge he’ll face, Abbas Pir-Abassi, is infamous for sending defendants to the gallows.

For Naghmeh, the hardest part is not being able to support the man she loves in person.

“The government has made it clear that if I set foot in Iran, I will immediately be arrested,” she said. “One of my heart’s desires is to be able to go see him, but I won’t be able to be there for him.”

As the trial approaches, Nagmeh and her husband’s supporters are hoping international pressure will be felt inside the Iranian regime. Although the U.S. has no diplomatic relations with Iran, on Friday, a spokesman for the Obama administration called on Iran to free Abedini.

“We remain troubled by the case of U.S. citizen Saeed Abedini, who was arrested by Iranian officials more than three months ago on charges relating to his religious beliefs. We call upon Iranian authorities to release him immediately,” National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said.

Jordan Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice, which has fought to bring attention to Abedini’s plight, said he hopes the administration will continue to press Iran on the matter.

“The statement released today is encouraging,” Sekulow said. “It is our hope that the Secretary of State and the State Department fully engage this issue and call for his immediate release. We urge them to utilize all of their diplomatic resources to secure the freedom of this U.S. citizen who is being persecuted and facing grave danger because of his religious beliefs.”

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