The U.S. State Department is again demanding that Iran release Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani immediately.

Nadarkhani was sentenced to jail for refusing to recant his faith in Jesus Christ. He has been imprisoned for more than 1,000 days.

"Pastor Nadarkhani still faces the threat of execution for simply following his faith, and we repeat our call for Iranian authorities to release him immediately," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement.

Recently, A href="http://presenttruthmn.com/" rel=nofollow target=_blank>Present Truth Ministries eported that Nadarkani's apostasy charge may have been dropped. But The American Center for Law and Justice ays the Iranian regime has not lifted that charge.

In a recent letter, the 35-year-old pastor wrote, "In the flesh I wish these days to end yet I have surrendered myself to God's will."'

A new court date for the pastor has been set for Sept. 8.

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