Saeed Abedini seeks 'God's will' for his marriage following separation

Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, who was freed last month in a prisoner swap with Iran, is seeking "God's will" for his marriage. His wife Naghmeh's filed for legal separation citing years of abuse.

In his first public statement since returning to Idaho, Saeed said that he appreciated his wife's efforts of advocating for his release from the Iranian prison.

Idaho Statesman reported that Saeed considers wife Naghmeh, a hero who suffered enormously, being 7,000 miles away from him, being a single parent to their two children whilst advocating for his freedom. He said he would always love her for all her sacrifices.

Shortly after his arrival home, Naghmeh filed for legal separation and sought a temporary restraining order to ensure their children remained in the state. Saeed said he had no intention of taking away their children from their home.

Idaho's Attorney General, Dave Leroy, explained to KiviTv that domestic relations in the state was a process where parties can separate for a period of time instead of being divorced. However, he added that such cases more often that not ended in divorce. Naghmeh made it clear that she has not filed for a divorce but only sought for temporary legal action.

Last November, Naghmeh revealed Saeed's past abusive behavior. In the two weeks since Saeed's release, he has chosen not to respond to the allegations of spousal abuse, stating that the problems of their marriage should be handled privately. Saeed said he sought "God's will" for both him and his wife and thanked people for their understanding and support.

In a Facebook post, Naghmeh wrote that she is committed to restoring and rebuilding their marriage.