FM Çavuşoğlu, US counterpart Pompeo hold phone call on Brunson case

Amid high-running tensions between the U.S. and Turkey over jailed U.S pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and his U.S. counterpart Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a phone call Saturday.

The call is the second conversation held between Çavuşoğlu and Pompeo on the matter.

In the first call, the Turkish minister had reiterated that Turkey will not yield to anybody's threats, underlining that the rule of law applies everyone in Turkey without an exception.

Brunson, who denies charges of links to the Gülenist terror Group (FETO) – the group behind the failed 2016 coup – was moved to house arrest on Wednesday, prompting the Trump administration to threaten sanctions against NATO-ally Turkey. Turkey's response was harsh and dismissive, calling Trump's words "unacceptable" and a "cheap threat."

Tension between the two NATO allies increased once again when President Donald Trump and V.P. Pence threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey if pastor Andrew Craig Brunson -- who faces terrorism-related charges -- is not released.

Ankara has balked strongly at Trump threatening Turkey with sanctions if it does not release Brunson, who is charged with spying for FETO and the PKK — a designated terrorist group in the U.S. and Turkey.