The two NATO allies lifted sanctions on their ministers on Nov. 2 after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his United States counterpart Donald Trump held a phone call on Nov. 1.
Ankara and Washington simultaneously announced the move, which came two weeks after the release of U.S. Pastor Andrew Brunson, who was freed after spending almost 1.5 years in custody in Turkey.
In parallel to the U.S. Treasury lifting sanctions on Turkish ministers, Turkey also lifted the travel ban, freezing of assets and ban on financial and trade transactions of the U.S. minister in Turkey, the Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a written statement on Nov. 1.
Bilateral ties have spiraled into a full-blown crisis over the trial of U.S. Pastor Andrew Brunson in the past few years.
Washington sanctioned Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül, blocking their access to U.S. assets for their alleged role in the detention of Brunson. Turkey also decided to retaliate in kind on two U.S. ministers, Jeff Sessions and Kirsjten M. Nielsen.
Brunson was accused of helping supporters of Fethullah Gülen, the U.S.-based cleric who Turkish authorities say masterminded the 2016 coup attempt against Erdoğan in which 250 people were killed.
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