Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani recently refused an offer to secure his release if he agreed to state that the Prophet Mohammed was a messenger sent by God.

Pastor Farhad Sabokroh and his co-workers Davoud Alijani and Naser Zamen-Dezfuli (pictured) from the Assemblies of God church in Ahwaz have been in custody in an unknown location since 23 December 2011.

The Iranian judiciary has issued a perplexing decision in the case of Youcef Nadarkhani. Youcef's local lawyer in Rasht was informed that the head of the judiciary, Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, has ordered the presiding judge over the trial in Rasht, Mr Ghazi Kashani, to do nothing for one year. The order was to not issue a verdict, to hold Youcef in prison, and to use whatever means necessary to cause him to recant and return to Islam.

The Iranian judiciary is again delaying the verdict on the re-examination of the case of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, under sentence of death for apostasy. It had been previously thought that a verdict would be announced in mid-December but reports from Iran now indicate that it will be delayed - possibly into 2012.

Lawyers acting for Youcef Nadarkhani have stated that they now expect the verdict in his case to be announced in mid-December, although there are fears that it may be issued to coincide with the Christmas season in order to avoid an international outcry.

Youcef Nadarkhani continues to be held in Lakan Prison in Rasht awaiting the verdict of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on the apostasy charges against him. Sources report that Youcef's attitude is positive and he remains very strong in his faith and commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The delivery of the verdict to Youcef Nadarkhani has been delayed again by the court in Gilan province. The reason for the delay, according to his lawyer, Mohammed Dadkhah, is because the court has referred the case to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Youcef Nadarkhani (35) is a Christian pastor from Rasht in northern Iran. He is married to Fatemah Pasindedih and they have two young sons, Daniel and Joel. In November 2010, Youcef was sentenced to death by hanging for the crime of apostasy. Youcef had been pastor to a network of Church of Iran house churches for ten years.

DECEMBER 2006 Youcef was imprisoned on charges of apostasy and evangelism, but was released two weeks later.

The verdict in Youcef Nadarkhani's apostasy trial is to be delivered on Monday 10 October. The news came after a group of government officials travelled from Tehran to interview Youcef yesterday (5 October). Their questions focused on the behaviour of the judges and the charges filed against him.