mr. abedini.se contact with the family actively engaged in this case. >> bill: that's nice i don't think iran is quaking in proverbial boots. with us now is a member of the group human rights watch iranian expert. they don't care what cash carney says, do they? >> i think international pressure does wind up helping in several cases. we have a case of a christian pastor niewmed yousef who was actually sentenced to i had i had. he was sentenced to death initially for the crime. this is about two years ago. because of international pressure, partly from human rights watch and other organizations, including christian organizations, in the united states, and in europe and elsewhere: his conviction actually was changed, he spent a little bit of time in prison and he has since been released. he -- so you think you can bring some pressure to bear. >> yes. >> abe -- abedini. is he american citizen. is he persian by descent. lives in the u.s.a. goes back to persia, iran, and they grab him, for what? >> you

mr. abedini's human rights and release him.here's a war of words over the controversial nuclear program and the rogue nation vowing to continue the research that they claim is for peaceful purposes. and holding war games as a warning to the rest of the world. and shannon bream has the latest from washington. >> reporter: family and friends of pastor abedini has now become a matter of life and death. an eight years sentence in one of iran's most brutal prisons. abedini born in iran, but has american citizenship was doing work with an orphanage, according to the group trying to get his release. he had a warning because of his work with christian houses in iran and the lcj has been representing the family and the pastor recently sent a disturbing letter from jail. >> first, that they pass out pain medication toss prisoners there every day and second they won't give that to them because the nurse for the hospital for national security criminals, says he's the not clean, and there's a caste system. >> his wife says, with today's dev

mr. abedini.porters say he had been beaten and tortured and there are serious questions about his medical condition. in washington shannon breem, fox news. >>> ice and snow hitting the midwest hard maybe bea for a dangerous winter storm road in the windy city covered in ice making for a number of crashes, pat patti hah patti ann. >> in iowa cops respond to go dozens of calls for help. the storm is not over yet. update from maria molina. >> unfortunately the storm is packing a punch with ice. current temperatures, this is why we are seeing the ice. when it's cold you get snow when it's warm you get rain around 32 degrees or a little warmer that's when you start to see ice possibly accumulating across places leashing new york city and raleigh. that's what we are seeing now. we have winter weather advisories and freezing rain advisories because that's what we are expecting to see around the area. in raleigh you see ice accumulating on roadways. it is around the mid atlantic and dc area in up state ne

mr. abedini. as you know the state department is in close contact with the abedini family.tively engaged on this case. martha: interesting. that is not what we've heard when we've spoken with the family but the pastor's wife says the statent do, as i said is really not doing everything they can. she said every day counts. he is being tortured. they could do so much more. i have been so heart-broken. as low we're letting the iranian government lead with their interpretation what he has done wrong instead of protecting our american ideals. at the very least secretary clinton should publicly call for the unequivocal release of saeed abedini. in her opinion, obviously she wants her husband back. she feels that her country can do more to help. joined by christian whitten, a former state department senior advisor. welcome. good to have you here this morning. >> great to be here, martha, thanks. martha: what you think? what is your take how involved the state department has been? you heard jay carney. he said they're closely involved in this situation. abedini's wife says that is

mr. abedini's human rights and release him. >>> the husband and brother of a woman missing in turkey for week are on the way to istanbul to find her. the woman was traveling alone to fulfill her photography dream. she was to fly back to the u.s. on january 22 know. her passport and medical documents were found in the istanbul hotel room. friends and family created this website to help tracking her down. >>> some of hollywood's biggest names can add s.a.g. award winner to their impressive resumes. screen actors guild awards saved one of the biggest surprises for last. michelle turner joins us now it's all about "argo." >> a lot of people thousand "linco "lincoln" wod take home the best picture trophy. but ben affleck and his cast of "argo" said not so fast. actors, actors, everywhere. it was about union in every way. both lead actress winner, jennifer lawrence and anne hathaway who won supporting actors honors talked about getting their s.a.g. cards at age 14. >> it felt like the beginning of the world. i loved every single minute of plif as an actor. >> lots of love for "30 rock." tina f