Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced retaliatory sanctions against the US in response to escalating tensions over the case of an American pastor imprisoned in Turkey.
Speaking in Ankara on Saturday, President Erdogan said Turkey would freeze assets of the US secretaries of justice and interior ministers in Turkey. “I have told my colleagues to start the process of freezing the assets of the American Justice minister and Interior Ministers it they have them.”
The President was speaking at the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) congress for its women’s organization. “The latest step taken by the US in the incident of Pastor Brunson in İzmir was not suitable to a strategic partner,” he said. “The US has displayed a serious disrespect with this step.”
Earlier this week, yhe administration of US President Donald imposed sanctions on two senior Turkish officials over the case of Andrew Brunson, an American pastor imprisoned on terrorism charges for the past two years.
President Trump has been demanding his release.
Despite escalating tensions over the imprisoned pastor, the two countries remain valued partners US secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Asian security forum in Singapore, Mr Pompeo said the Nato allies would continue working with each other.
“Turkey is a NATO partner with whom the United States has every intention of continuing to work cooperatively,” Pompeo said.
It is not immediately clear whether US Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke or Attorney General Jeff Sessions have any assets in Turkey.