Held at gunpoint at 9, Iranian refugee turned pastor now prays for Iran’s hour of freedom

An Iranian exile held astatine gunpoint astatine schoolhouse earlier fleeing Iran during the 1979 gyration is calling for hope, ideology and prayers for his homeland arsenic the U.S. joins Israel successful targeting Iran’s ruling clerical regime.

David Nasser, present an American pastor, spoke to Fox News Digital six days aft Operation Epic Fury was launched successful Iran — an lawsuit that reignited haunting memories for him and of the clip erstwhile helium was 9 years old.

"As a child, my household and I were forced to flight Iran and tally for our lives," Nasser, President and CEO of David Nasser Outreach recalled.

"We recovered harmless harbor arsenic refugees granted governmental asylum present successful the United States," Nasser said, earlier describing however his begetter had been a high-ranking serviceman successful Iran’s military, meaning "his household became targets arsenic the authorities collapsed."

"One of my astir vivid memories of realizing that thing was ever going to beryllium the aforesaid again was astatine a schoolhouse assembly connected a subject basal - a worker called retired 3 names and excavation was called first," helium said.

David Nasser fled Iran erstwhile helium was 9 years aged and during the 1979 revolution.

"When I got to the front, the worker dropped a portion of paper, took a weapon retired of his holster and enactment it to my caput and quoted the Quran. He told maine that helium was sent to marque an illustration retired of me," Nasser added.

The main intervened, but the connection helium relayed was unmistakable. Nasser recalled.

"They’re sidesplitting everybody who’s anybody. They’re trying to marque an illustration retired of radical similar our family, and they’re utilizing fear," helium remembered proceeding astatine the time.

"That’s 1 of my archetypal memories of the revolution, but truly conscionable being wholly frightened for my life."

Soon after, Nasser's household devised an flight plan. They would unreal Nasser’s parent needed exigency bosom country successful Switzerland and bargain round-trip tickets to debar raising suspicion.

"We bought round-trip hose tickets, similar we were going and coming back, but we weren’t coming back. We were moving for our lives," helium said.

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David Nasser recalled a schoolhouse assembly connected a subject basal erstwhile a worker called retired his sanction and enactment a weapon to his head.  

At the airport, Nasser remembers gripping his father’s manus tightly and proceeding words helium volition ne'er forget.

'"If they find retired we’re escaping, they’re going to termination america close present connected the spot,'" my begetter said arsenic his hands shook, holding mine, helium said. "The past clip I was successful Iran, I was a 9-year-old small lad moving for my life," helium said.

Now, watching events unfold successful Iran from the information of the U.S., Nasser said his bosom remains with millions of hopeless Iranians facing uncertainty.

"We spot them — I spot them, I perceive them. My bosom is beating truly accelerated for them close now, with anticipation and with prayers for their extortion and their provision," Nasser said.

"Protection. I’m praying for extortion for them. I privation to beryllium a portion of the proviso for them. If Iran transitions from a theocracy to a democracy," helium said, "I privation to assistance rebuild."

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Pastor David Nasser, fled Iran arsenic a kid and urges anticipation during the US subject run successful Iran.

"If this infinitesimal really comes, and they spell from a theocracy to a democracy, I privation to beryllium a portion of the solution — for that 9-year-old small lad that I erstwhile was. I privation to bash this for him."

Beyond governmental change, Nasser, who is besides Teaching Pastor astatine New Vision Baptist Church, said helium takes solace successful what helium describes arsenic spiritual translation already underway, calling it "the fastest-growing religion successful the satellite close now, oregon the underground religion successful Iran."

"We cognize there’s astatine minimum 4 million, astatine maximum 8 cardinal Christians close present successful Iran," helium said.

"In Iran, if you person from Islam to Christianity, that tin beryllium a decease sentence. If they travel into your location and you’re gathering for Christian worship, they volition instrumentality your location title, you volition suffer your home."

"They’re successful prison. They’re being tortured. They’re being ridiculed. They’re being mocked," helium added.

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"Above all, I came to America, and it was a onshore of opportunity, and I was fixed the acquisition of democracy, truthful I would emotion to spot ideology successful Iran, wherever each the boys and girls are afforded what I was afforded erstwhile I managed to escape."

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