Erdoğan: Turkey will stand its ground faced with US sanctions

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Turkey will stand its ground after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to slap sanctions on Ankara if it does not free an American pastor.

The friendship between the United States and Turkey is on the line in this dispute, Erdoğan said.

"We will not take a step back when faced with sanctions," Erdoğan said. "They should not forget that they will lose a sincere partner."

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 being behind the defeated July 2016 coup attempt.

The Izmir 2nd High Criminal Court cited Brunson's health in its decision to transfer him to house arrest.

The court decided to allow Brunson to live at his home address in Izmir, but barred him from "abandonment of residence" and also imposed a ban on him leaving the country.

After the decision, the cleric left prison with a police escort after completing certain procedures.

Extensive security measures have been taken at the Brunson residence.

Diplomats have been working to settle the tense dispute and on Saturday U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo discussed the status of the pastor with Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, the State Department said.