Local media reported that Ankara has not released Brunson in the court hearing in August, because Ankara urged Washington to spare Turkey's state-owned Halkbank from a threatened fine for allegedly helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions in return for release of Brunson, yet the negotiations failed.

The bilateral tension hit the Turkish lira which has lost nearly 40 percent of its value against U.S. dollar since the start of 2018.

Brunson was sentenced on Oct. 12 by a court to jail for three years and 45 days over terror charges, but was then set free last month and returned home due to the time he had served.

Trump has said "no deal" was made with Turkish officials to secure Brunson's release, but U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said they could remove these sanctions after release of the pastor.

Even though Washington lifted sanctions on Turkish ministers, the United States still keeps its decision of doubling tariffs on Turkey.

Brunson's detention was not the only source of tension in U.S.-Turkish relations.

Ankara and Washington are also at odds over diverging interests in Syria, where Washington supports Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Turkey regards as Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

Both Turkey and the United States have decided to overcome their long lasting bilateral problems, and this is a sign of easing relations, Burak Kuntay, international relations expert from Bahcesehir University said.

【国际英语资讯:Spotlight: Turkey, U.S. simultaneously remove sanctions imposed on ministers】相关文章：

★ 瑞银挨的“板子”太轻

★ 美国经济亟需解决的问题

★ FT社评：欧元区应迅速化解希腊援助僵局

★ 汤森路透结盟四年 汤姆森家族走向台前

★ 美联储官员对QE3期限产生分歧

★ 信用评级机构或面临新一轮诉讼

★ ViSparsh：让盲人丢掉手杖

★ 刘欢、莎拉•布莱曼将演唱奥运主题歌

★ 双语欣赏：温总理诗作《仰望星空》

★ 香港特首答问会上自夸四个月执政成果