The family of imprisoned American pastor Saeed Abedini was able to visit him in iran’s brutal Evin Prison.

They report that he is in “good spirits” and that the most severe of his medical symptoms have eased. However, the Iranian government is still refusing to allow him treatment for severe abdominal pain.

Abedini’s lawyers are not optimistic that the change in the Iranian presidency will help their case. The American Center for Law and Justice said that President-elect Hassan Rohani has historical ties to the religious leadership of the country. The ACLJ says that Rohani isn’t really the power in Iran.

“Although one can hope that his promises of reform would include greater freedoms for the persecuted religious minorities in Iran, in reality, the man who controls the country and has set the harsh policy towards Christians remains unchanged – Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei remains at the helm and he has set course for utter destruction of the Christian faith in Iran,” Tiffany Barrans of the ACLJ told the Christian Post.

Barrans said that guards at Evin prison are threatening to send Saeed to a prison in a remote area of Southern Iran which would make it almost impossible for his family to visit him.