Pastor Saeed Pleads for First Female Underground Church Leader in Iranian Prison

Pastor Saeed Abedini is pleading for the release of another Christian convert still imprisoned in Iran.

Maryam Naghash Zargaran, also known as Nasim, is serving a four-year sentence in Evin Prison for practicing her Christian faith.

Abedini said he's concerned that other members of Saeed Ministries are being forgotten.

"She was the first underground female leader and one of five leaders who helped us start churches before I became a pastor," he said in a Facebook post. "Every time I got arrested, some leaders became afraid to work close to me and some left. But Nasim was the only one who stayed beside us until the end when I was put in Evin prison."

Nasim escaped to Turkey at one point, but then returned to Iran to finish her prison sentence. Abedini shared a letter she wrote him citing her reason why.

"I couldn't live in freedom knowing my Pastor, who first shared the Gospel with my family and me, was still suffering in prison. So I came back to prison by my own choice to stand with you and the Lord while you are in chains," she said in the letter.

While in prison, she has been struggling with anemia, diabetes, and high cholesterol while being denied any treatment.