GOP presidential candidate Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) responded to the release of Pastor Saeed Abedini from Iranian prison, saying, “Our prayers have been answered today.”
“Our prayers have been answered today, as Pastor Abedini will return home to his wife and children in America,” Paul stated in a press release.
Pastor Abedini is an incredibly brave man for risking his life for his Christian beliefs and I am pleased that our government did not sit idly by while an American citizen was persecuted abroad due to religious intolerance. The United States stands as a beacon of freedom and hope for those across the globe, and as such, we must continue to fight for the safe return of those wrongfully imprisoned abroad based on their religious beliefs.
Abedini and three other Americans were released from Iran reportedly in exchange for seven Iranians that are currently detained or charged in the United States.
Paul first raised awareness about Abedini’s imprisonment in 2013 when Paul co-sponsored a Senate resolution that called upon the Iranian government to immediately release Abedini.