President of Turkey recently ordered the assets freezing of two US officials to retaliate against the sanctions imposed on its justice and interior ministers over the issue of detention of an American pastor, who could face imprisonment.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Turkey had been maintaining “patience” policy since the US sanctions were slapped on Ankara’s Abdulhamit Gul, the minister of justice, and Suleyman Soylu, the minister of interior, this week.

“I am instructing my friends today, we will freeze assets, if there are any, of the US justice and interior secretaries in Turkey,” Erdogan, speaking at a ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party meeting in Ankara, was quoted as saying by the official Anadolu news agency.

It was not clear whether who would come under affect by Erdogan’s statement because of ever differing cabinet roles in the United States, or if they have any holdings in Turkey.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, however, said on Saturday that he has high hopes that the American held in Turkey will be released in the coming days.

In the most recent news, on Friday, Pompeo and his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, held a meet in Singapore to discuss the release of Evangelical Christian pastor Andrew Brunson.

The American Pastor was taken into custody in December 2016 soon after a failed coup in Turkey over the charges of  spying and “committing crimes on behalf of terror groups without being a member” – type of allegations Brunson denies. He will be jailed for 35 years if convicted.

“I had a constructive conversation with my counterpart yesterday,” Pompeo told reporters. “I made clear that it is well past time that pastor Brunson be free and permitted to return to the United States, and that the others being held by Turkey also similarly be freed as well.

“I am hopeful that in the coming days that we will see that occur.”

Apart from the Pastor’s release, the United States has also been trying to seek the freeing of three employed embassy staff in Turkey’s custody.

Over the question if the issue may go up to threating Turkey’s membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Pompeo said: “Turkey is a NATO partner with whom the United States has every intention to continue to work with cooperatively.”

The White House imposed sanctions for all the assets and properties belonging to the two high-ranked Turks after alleging that they were playing leading roles in Brunson’s detention.

Measures taken by the United States over the issue of Brunson were not suitable for a strategic partner and were “disrespectful” to Turkey, Erdogan said.

“We don’t want to be a party to lose-lose games. Moving political and judicial disputes into an economic dimension will be harmful for both sides,” Erdogan said in a televised speech.

The dispute between the two NATO allies has had a ever growing economic effect on Turkey. The issue has pushed investors into deepening concerns that have sent the Turkey’s lira to record lows and made local stocks to new lows, as well as Turkey’s debt-risk profile.

Turkey’s foreign minister said dialogue will continue with American officials.

“Of course you can’t expect all issues to be resolved in a single meeting. But we have agreed to work together, closely cooperate, and keep the dialogue in the coming period,” Cavusoglu said after the talks with Pompeo.

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