Turkey's Halkbank, U.S. Justice Department Agree to Resolve Criminal Charges

Judge says the two sides have reached an agreement to end the long-running case.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The U.S. Justice Department has agreed to resolve its long-running criminal case against Turkey's state-owned Halkbank, according to a judge overseeing the matter. The details of the agreement have not been made public, but the judge stated that the two sides have reached a resolution to the case.

Why it matters

This case has been a source of tension between the U.S. and Turkey for years, with Halkbank facing allegations of helping Iran evade American sanctions. The resolution of the criminal charges could help improve diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The details

Halkbank, one of Turkey's largest state-owned banks, was charged in 2019 with taking part in a multibillion-dollar scheme to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. The case has been a major point of contention between the U.S. and Turkey, with Ankara accusing Washington of using the case for political leverage.

  • The U.S. Justice Department filed criminal charges against Halkbank in 2019.

The players

Halkbank

Turkey's state-owned bank that was charged by the U.S. Justice Department in 2019 for allegedly helping Iran evade American sanctions.

U.S. Justice Department

The federal agency that filed criminal charges against Halkbank and has now agreed to resolve the long-running case.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The details of the agreement between Halkbank and the U.S. Justice Department have not been made public, so it remains to be seen what the final resolution of the case will entail.

The takeaway

This case has been a major point of contention between the U.S. and Turkey for years, and its resolution could help improve diplomatic relations between the two countries moving forward.