Mideast Christian leader stands with Naghmeh Abedini: “Iran’s regime is an oppressor of Christians”
September 08/14
During an event at the First Baptist Church in Orlando, Florida, where the wife of jailed Pastor Saeed Abedini, Nagmeh, spoke of his ordeal, a Middle East Christian NGO leader stood in solidarity with her calling the Iranian regime “an oppressor of Christians.”
Tom Harb, the co-Secretary General of the Middle East Christian Committee (MECHRIC) met with Mrs. Abedini at the church and discussed the case of her husband. He summed up the situation: “Pastor Abedini is a living martyr as he is tortured and jailed for his beliefs.
The region is now under two ferocious oppressions of minorities, the Islamic State operating in Iraq and Syria and the dictatorships in Tehran and Damascus. Abedini’s saga shows how the Islamic Republic of Iran is also a suppressor of Christians.
As for ISIS, Tehran wants its Christian community to live under Dhimmi status. In Iran, unless Christians act under the strict conditions of the Khomeinists, they are oppressed. In Mosul, ISIS is imposing a tax (Jizya) on the Christians with the only other option being conversion.”
Mrs. Abedini voiced her assent, “The ordeal of my husband symbolizes the state of oppression Christians are living under in Iran.”
Harb argued, “The United States should do more for Pastor Saeed. And Christian Americans should also do more. However, we were disappointed that a meeting organized in Washington this week by a group calling themselves In Defense of Christians (IDC) has no spot for Pastor Abedini, nor even for his wife to explain his case.
How can people claiming the defense of Christians in the Middle East ignore the plight of Christians in Iran? Unless that conference does not want to criticize the Iranian regime for the most visible case demonstrating the breach of human rights against Christians.”
