We will not bow down to threats, Turkish FM tells US counterpart

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told his U.S. counterpart Mike Pompeo that Turkey would not bow down to threats, a Foreign Ministry source said on Friday.

“We will not bow down to threats and the rule of law applies for everyone without exception,” the source said Çavuşoğlu told Pompeo during Thursday’s phone call.

Çavuşoğlu on Thursday spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo over the phone, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.

The phone contact was made shortly after Turkey responded to remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump after he threatened the country with sanctions unless Ankara releases a detained American pastor.

In an attempt to interfere with NATO-member Turkey's judiciary, Trump tweeted: "The United States will impose large sanctions on Turkey for their longtime detainment of Pastor Andrew Brunson."

Brunson was transferred to house arrest Wednesday after being detained in the Aegean province of Izmir in December 2016.

He was charged with spying for the PKK -- a designated terrorist group in the U.S. and Turkey -- and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), the group Turkey says orchestrated the defeated July 2016 coup attempt.

Earlier, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence in a tweet threatened to impose "significant sanctions on Turkey until this innocent man of faith is free."