"The latest step taken by the U.S. in the incident of Pastor Brunson in Izmir was not suitable to a strategic partner. The U.S. has displayed a serious disrespect with this step," Erdogan said in a speech at the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) congress for its women's organization in Ankara on Aug. 4.
"We have had shown patience until yesterday evening. Today I am instructing my friends that we will freeze the assets of U.S. secretaries of justice and interior in Turkey, if they exist," he added. "Those who think that they can make Turkey take a step back by resorting to threatening language and absurd sanctions show that they do not know the Turkish nation."
The U.S. had announced sanctions on Turkey’s justice and interior ministers on the grounds their responsibility for implementing serious human rights violations against imprisoned Pastor Andrew Brunson.
Under the current U.S. sanctions, any property, or interest in property, belonging to Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu within U.S. jurisdiction would be blocked. Americans would generally be prohibited from doing business with them.
Turkey had said it would retaliate the sanctions in the same way.
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