Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif
Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has condemned a U.S. decision to impose sanctions on two Turkish government ministers in retaliation for the ongoing detention of an American pastor facing terrorism charges in Turkey.
“These unlawful U.S. sanctions on two Turkish government ministers -- from an allied country -- illustrate the U.S. administration's longstanding policy of pressure and extortion,” Zarif tweeted on Thursday.
On Wednesday night, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders announced that the U.S. had imposed sanctions on Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül.
The Turkish Bar Association on Thursday criticized the U.S. move to impose sanctions on two Turkish ministers for not releasing an American pastor, who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.Metin Feyzioglu, the association's head, said in a statement: "Threatening messages and sanctions issued against our country for the release of their citizen detained in Turkey by relevant authorities of the United States are unacceptable."He asserted that such a move by the U.S. not only undermines international law but also is an attempt to interfere with the justice system of a sovereign state.Parliament speaker calls US sanctions ‘unlawful and arbitrary’Feyzioglu described the U.S. move as "contrary to rule of law", adding: "Some U.S. officials have rather taken a hammer in their hands and treat every problem they face in foreign policy as nails."Turkish judiciary will give a verdict in accordance with universal rules for fair trial. No one should doubt this."Recalling that Turkey and the U.S. are allies, Feyzioglu stressed that such alliance is not just important for the two nations but also for the entire world."Basis of an alliance is having mutual respect for international law and the sovereign rights of states," he said.US sanctions move 'abdication of reason': Turkish MPOn Wednesday night, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the U.S. was imposing sanctions on Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson.Sanders said the U.S. would block "any property, or interest in property of the two ministers".Brunson has been charged in Turkey with spying for the PKK -- a designated terrorist group in the U.S. and Turkey -- and U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), the group behind the defeated July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey which martyred 251 people and injured thousands.Turkey issues arrest warrants for 27 FETÖ suspectsAnkara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.
Turkish Bar Association slams US sanction move
Brunson has been accused by the Turkish authorities of spying for the PKK (which has been a designated as a terrorist group by both the U.S. and Turkey) and U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen and the latter’s Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), which orchestrated Turkey’s failed July 2016 coup attempt that left 251 martyrs in its wake.
Ankara also accuses FETÖ of carrying out a long-running campaign to overthrow the Turkish state through the infiltration of state institutions.
Parliament Speaker Binali Yıldırım has termed the U.S. decision to impose sanctions on two Turkish ministers as "unlawful and extremely arbitrary"."The sanctions decision taken by the U.S. Secretary of Treasury has targeted our Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül and our Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, which is unlawful and extremely arbitrary," Yıldırıım said in a statement on Thursday."I strongly condemn this decision that is an indicator of a disrespectful manner on judicially process in Turkey," he added.US is a threat to Turkey: İbrahim KaragülYıldırım called on the U.S. administration to reverse its decision.On Wednesday night, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the U.S. was imposing sanctions on Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.Sanders said the U.S. would block "any property, or interest in property of the two ministers".US sanctions move 'abdication of reason': Turkish MPBrunson has been charged in Turkey with spying for the PKK -- a designated terrorist group in the U.S. and Turkey -- and U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), the group behind the defeated July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey which martyred 251 people and injured thousands.Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.Turkey will not hesitate to respond to US sanctions: Dep presidentInterior minister slams US sanctions moveFour Turkish political parties protest US sanctionsTurkey strongly protests against US sanctions decision
Parliament speaker calls US sanctions ‘unlawful and arbitrary’
Yeni Şafak Editor-In-Chief İbrahim Karagül stressed that Turkey urgently needs to halt all joint initiatives with the U.S. and close down the Incirlik Air Base as a response to the U.S. Treasury Department’s decision to impose sanctions on the Justice Minister and Interior Minister.Ibrahim Karagül’s 11-point call for action came after the Brunson crisis and U.S threats against Turkey.White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders had said the U.S. would impose sanctions on Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.Turkey will not hesitate to respond to US sanctions: Dep presidentBrunson, a Christian pastor from North Carolina who has lived in Turkey for more than two decades, was indicted on charges of having links with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), which Ankara blames for the failed coup in 2016. He was transferred to house arrest on July 25.Karagül’s 11-point call for action is as follows:1- The U.S. has attacked Turkey and killed hundreds of thousands of our people through the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and other terrorist organizations for 40 years.2- It has attacked Turkey openly; attempted an occupation, civil war and assassination of our country’s president by using FETÖ terrorists on July 15.3- The U.S. wants to restrain Turkey on its own orbit by taking it hostage and when Turkey refuses this, they try to drive it into a corner by using threats, sanctions and blackmail.Interior minister slams US sanctions move4- The U.S. tries to plot Turkey’s rapprochement with emerging powers such as Russia and China. Turkey’s new economic initiatives with these powers worry them.5- The U.S.’s sanctions against Turkey’s Interior minister Süleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül should be responded to in kind.6- The new world is being built and it doesn’t consist of the U.S. alone.7- The strategic alliance of Turkey and the U.S. has come to an end. There is no moral ground of this alliance relationship anymore.US sanctions move 'abdication of reason': Turkish MP8- The U.S. has become the biggest threat to Turkey.9- While this fact is blatant, all the initiatives to build an alliance with the U.S. again are now a crime.10- The military bases of the U.S. – that have murdered thousands of our people, and threatened our country explicitly- should be shut down immediately, especially Incirlik Air Base.11- Turkey should never step back against the U.S. sanctions and the U.S. must be declared as a threat to Turkey.Video: Erdoğan slams ‘US evangelist, Zionist mentality’
US is a threat to Turkey: İbrahim Karagül
The head of Turkish parliament's constitutional committee has described the U.S. decision to impose sanctions on two Turkish ministers as an "abdication of reason"."The U.S. administration's decision is far from good sense, an abdication of reason, a lack of foresight," Bekir Bozdağ said on his official Twitter account on Thursday."The U.S. cannot take what it wants from Turkey with a method that is against international law, unlawful and presuming," Bozdag, a lawmaker from Yozgat province, added.On Wednesday night, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said the U.S. was imposing sanctions on Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.Sanders said the U.S. would block "any property, or interest in property of the two ministers".The head of Turkish parliament's education, culture and sport committee also called on the U.S. to reverse its decision on the sanctions."We call on the U.S. administration to turn from this decision that has the characteristics of intervention into [Turkey's] justice system," Numan Kulturmus, a lawmaker from Istanbul province, said.Kurtulmus said Turkey would "promptly give response to that kind of aggressive manner".The Foreign Ministry on Wednesday also strongly protested against U.S. Treasury Department's decision, calling on the U.S. administration to reverse its "wrong decision".Brunson has been charged in Turkey with spying for the PKK -- a designated terrorist group in the U.S. and Turkey -- and U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), the group behind the defeated July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey which martyred 251 people and injured thousands.Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.
US sanctions move 'abdication of reason': Turkish MP
Turkish Deputy President slammed a U.S. move to impose sanctions on Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül in a Twitter post on Thursday."The latest developments prove once more to the world that being a great state is not related to economic, military or geographical size," Fuat Oktay wrote on his official Twitter account.“Being a great state requires acting within the framework of international laws, remaining loyal to agreements and the principles of justice and respectability, holding the interests of the majority above the minority and always standing by the oppressed,” he added.Interior minister slams US sanctions move“We are a great state with our flag, homeland and people. We will not hesitate for a split second to do what great nations must do under the leadership of our president,” Oktay said.Oktay’s remarks came a day after White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said the U.S. would impose sanctions on Soylu and Gül for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.Sanders said the U.S. would block "any property, or interest in property of the two ministers".Four Turkish political parties protest US sanctionsJustice Minister Gül said Wednesday he does not own any property or have money outside Turkey.The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday strongly protested against U.S. Treasury Department's decision, calling on the U.S. administration to reverse its "wrong decision."Brunson has been charged with spying for the PKK -- a designated terrorist group in the U.S. and Turkey -- and U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), the group behind the defeated July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey which martyred 251 people and injured thousands.Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.Turkey strongly protests against US sanctions decision
Turkey will not hesitate to respond to US sanctions: Dep president
Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu reacted to a U.S. move to impose sanctions on him and the country's justice minister in a Twitter post on Thursday."We have a property in America: FETÖ. We will not leave it there. We will get it," Soylu wrote on his official Twitter account.Soylu's remarks came a day after White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said the U.S. would impose sanctions on Soylu, and Abdulhamit Gul, the justice minister, for not releasing American Pastor Andrew Craig Brunson, who faces terrorism charges in Turkey.Erdoğan says US's threatening language will not benefit anyoneSanders said the U.S. would block "any property, or interest in property of the two ministers".Justice Minister Gul said Wednesday he does not own any property or have money outside Turkey.Turkish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday strongly protested against U.S. Treasury Department's decision, calling on the U.S. administration to reverse its "wrong decision".Turkey is not without alternatives: Presidential aideBrunson has been charged with spying for the PKK -- a designated terrorist group in the U.S. and Turkey -- and U.S.-based Fetullah Gulen and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), the group behind the defeated July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey which martyred 251 people and injured thousands.Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.Four Turkish political parties protest US sanctionsTurkey strongly protests against US sanctions decision
Interior minister slams US sanctions move