US will not agree to deal with Trukey to stop investigation of bank violations of sanctions against Iran

Washington Free Beacon:
Key advocates pressing Turkey for the release of a U.S. pastor and several other U.S. diplomats are praising the Trump administration for refusing to negotiate with Ankara about U.S. sanctions relief even as they acknowledge an impasse in the efforts to win the Americans' freedom.

Trump administration officials on Monday confirmed that they rejected an offer from Turkey to release Pastor Andrew Brunson and other U.S. citizens held on disputed terrorism charges in exchange for the U.S. government backing away from an investigation into a major Turkish bank, which the U.S. has accused of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.

Jay Sekulow is an attorney who serves as the chief counsel of the conservative American Center for Law & Justice, or ACLJ, and also serves as a member of President Trump's personal legal team. Sekulow has been an outspoken advocate for Brunson's swift return but praised Trump over the weekend for "refusing to pay a ransom to Turkey" for the pastor's release.

"In diplomacy, you sometimes hit a bump in the road," he tweeted. "Clearly we have hit such a bump. While I remain hopeful for the expeditious release of #PastorAndrew, let me be clear that we fully support the President's action in refusing to pay a ransom to Turkey, a NATO ally, for the release of an innocent man."
...
Turkey's use of this pastor as a hostage is not acceptable.  It should immediately release him and then negotiate of substantive issues and not on its hostage taking.

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