Turkish Interior Minister Suleiman Soylu said that the liberation of, "Baghdad, Erbil, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, from the pressures of the United States and Europe, will make Turkey lead the region."

During his meeting with citizens in several regions, Soylu criticized Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, noting that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was the most successful mayor in the city's history.

A Turkish court sentenced Ekrem Imamoglu, mayor of Istanbul, last Wednesday to more than two years in prison and prevented him from practicing politics for the same period, including running for next year's presidential elections, on charges of insulting members of the Supreme Electoral Council in 2019.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denied his involvement in the verdict against Istanbul's Mayor, calling the claims, "false words uttered so surely," and have political goals.

Read more: Turkey ready to take joint steps with Syria, Russia: Erdogan

Soylu also said that Erdogan is "the hope of the world and the nation, not only the hope of Turkey," adding that Turkey has become a big country and has started making plans for the next 100 years.

جزء من كلام وزير الداخلية التركي هدفه التجييش الشعبي ولكنه يعكس كثيرا توجّه السلطة التركية حاليا. كلام مهم يعكس رغبة تركيا بالاستفادة من التحوّلات الدولية لأقصى حد، والاستفادة من "الفرصة الحالية لتوسيع نفوذ تركيا في الشرق الأوسط واستعادة جزء من أمجاد السلطنة العثمانية". pic.twitter.com/kxRrVrZI87

— Mohamad Hasan Sweidan (@mhmdsweidan) December 18, 2022

It's noteworthy that Turkey has been playing a more balanced role following the start of the NATO-led proxy war in Ukraine between Russia and the West.

Ankara took during the last few months steps that do not fully align with the West's interests in the region, especially with regard to Russia and Iran.

Read more: Turkey calls for lifting of sanctions off Venezuela, Iran