"Secretary Michael R. Pompeo spoke today with Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to discuss the case of Pastor Andrew Brunson. The Secretary and Foreign Minister committed to continued discussions to resolve the matter and address other issues of common concern," Nauert said in a statement published on the State Department's official Twitter account.
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that if Ankara did not free Brunson, Turkey would face sanctions.
READ MORE: State Dept. Says There's ‘Excellent Prospect’ That Pastor Brunson Will Return
Turkish authorities put Brunson in jail in 2016 accusing him of ties to the movement of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, referred to as Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) by Ankara and accused of having orchestrated a failed military coup that took place in Turkey in the same year.
The pastor was released from a Turkish prison on Tuesday and placed under house arrest.