Turkey denounces Trump’s threats of sanctions

Turkish presidential spokesperson on Thursday condemned U.S. President Donald Trump's threats of imposing sanctions on the country unless Ankara releases a detained American pastor.

In a statement, Ibrahim Kalin said: “It is not possible to accept threatening language used towards our country, which is a NATO ally.”

“The U.S. administration, which has never taken a step against FETO -- should know that it cannot get any result by threatening Turkey using a matter, which is being handled by the independent Turkish judiciary, as an excuse."

Kalin also called on the U.S. administration to "review its manners immediately" before relations between the two countries deteriorate any further.

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 (FETO), the group Turkey accuses of orchestrating 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".