President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said lasting peace in the Middle East would remain out of reach without an end to the Israeli bloodshed in Gaza, a permanent cease-fire and a dignified future for Palestinians on their own land, as he outlined Türkiye's positions on regional conflicts, ties with the United States and a series of global challenges following the U.N. General Assembly.

Speaking to journalists at the Türkevi Center in New York, Erdoğan addressed Gaza peace efforts, Türkiye-U.S. relations and the F-35 program, tensions involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, the Russia-Ukraine war and Black Sea security, the Mecca Defense Agreement, the "terror-free Türkiye" initiative, relations with Iraq and Greece, U.N. reform and the COP31 climate summit Türkiye will host in Antalya.

"Without stopping the bloodshed in Gaza, making the cease-fire permanent and ensuring that Palestinians have a dignified future on their own land, lasting peace will not come to the Middle East," Erdoğan said.

He said the political will that emerged under the Gaza peace plan was significant, arguing that nearly all parties, including Hamas, had taken positive steps and demonstrated their willingness to reach a solution.

Erdoğan slammed Israel for continuing its attacks and undermining peace efforts, saying the international community, particularly the United States, should make clear that Israel must comply with the plan.

Simply calling for the war in Gaza to stop was not enough, the president said, stressing that mechanisms were needed to prevent fighting from restarting, accelerate Gaza's reconstruction and secure the Palestinians' political future.

Erdoğan also highlighted the continuing humanitarian crisis, saying people had been struggling to survive among the rubble for years, amid Israel's unlawful blockade.

"This is a matter that concerns the common conscience of humanity," he said.

Türkiye-US ties, F-35s and defense

Erdoğan also addressed Türkiye's effort to return to the F-35 fighter jet program, saying he had discussed the matter with U.S. President Donald Trump during a NATO meeting.

He said Trump had demonstrated a positive stance toward Türkiye's return to the program and that Ankara now expected that position to be translated into concrete action.

"We expect this will to turn into concrete steps," Erdoğan said, adding that contacts with Washington were continuing. "I believe we will get results."

Erdoğan said his relationship with Trump had also given momentum to Türkiye-U.S. relations, arguing that cooperation between the NATO allies had advanced considerably compared with the previous U.S. administration.

He stressed, however, that Türkiye's domestic defense industry remained a major priority.

Erdoğan pointed to the domestically developed KAAN fighter jet, Türkiye's air defense systems and other defense capabilities, saying Ankara wanted to produce its own systems while simultaneously pursuing cooperation with its allies.

He also said talks with Britain over the Eurofighter Typhoon were continuing.

"Türkiye has security, defense needs and strategic objectives," Erdoğan said, adding that Ankara would continue working toward those goals without stepping back.

Iran and Strait of Hormuz

On tensions involving Iran and the U.S., Erdoğan said developments in the Strait of Hormuz demonstrated that the crisis was no longer merely an issue between Tehran and Washington.

Türkiye opposed closing the strait to maritime traffic and considered maintaining freedom of navigation essential, he said.

The president warned that every escalation in Hormuz affected not only regional countries but also Europe, Asia, energy markets, transportation and the daily lives of millions of people.

He pointed to a sharp decline in commercial shipping traffic as evidence of the wider impact and described the strait as vital to global energy security and international trade.

Erdoğan said reopening Hormuz was important for resolving disputes through dialogue and negotiations and that Türkiye was urging all parties to return to the negotiating table.

"What needs to be opened are not new fronts, but new channels of diplomacy," he said.

Ukraine, Black Sea security

Turning to the Russia-Ukraine war, Erdoğan said the Black Sea should not become another front in the conflict and called for the restoration of maritime security.

He said ensuring safe navigation would both protect food security and help prevent the war from spreading.

Türkiye opposed attacks on commercial vessels regardless of who carried them out, Erdoğan said, calling on the parties to act responsibly.

He also announced that Ankara was intensifying efforts to restore the Black Sea grain corridor and accelerating diplomatic contacts toward that goal.

Erdoğan said he raised the issue again with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their meeting in New York and received a positive response.

Mecca Defense Agreement

Describing the Mecca Defense Agreement as a strong step in the right direction, President Erdoğan said challenges facing the initiative at an early stage were not unexpected.

He said Türkiye was an experienced state that would not be drawn into provocations or traps and expressed confidence that the initiative would become stronger as its institutional structure was completed.

Erdoğan said the agreement had laid the foundations for a framework capable of producing regional solutions to regional problems.

He argued that outside powers that had attempted to prescribe security solutions for the region had often left greater instability behind.

The initiative, he said, was like a newly planted sapling that would eventually grow into a large tree.

'Terror-free Türkiye'

On the "terror-free Türkiye" initiative, Erdoğan said the process was not a short-term issue but an effort to bring an end to a problem the country had faced for nearly half a century.

He said Parliament had established the legal framework, relevant mechanisms were being created and state institutions were carrying out the necessary monitoring on the ground.

For the framework to be implemented, the organization must effectively lay down its arms and complete its dissolution, Erdoğan said, adding that procedures for verifying those steps were clear.

"The process is progressing step by step under the control of our relevant units," he said.

Erdoğan said there were actors seeking to obstruct the process and referred to them as stakeholders in a "terror industry," but stressed that the government and the People's Alliance remained determined.

"There is no problem reflected to us," he said. "The process is moving forward and, God willing, we will reach a conclusion in the not-too-distant future."

Iraq, Sinjar and Development Road

Erdoğan also pointed to improving ties with Iraq, saying the new period in relations had begun positively.

He said Iraqi government authority would take hold in Sinjar, where the PKK had maintained a presence for years, and that Ankara and Baghdad had discussed how control of the area would be handled after it was cleared of terrorism.

The two sides also discussed the transfer of Bashiqa, Erdoğan said.

He said Türkiye wanted its relationship with Iraq to increasingly focus on the Development Road project, expanding bilateral trade, stability, peace and prosperity rather than terrorism.

"The process is progressing positively. We have gained good momentum," he said.

Greece and Eastern Mediterranean

Addressing ties with Greece ahead of elections there, Erdoğan said Türkiye had no interest in Greek domestic politics.

Ankara's priorities were protecting Türkiye's rights and security and maintaining peace in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, he said.

"Türkiye is not Greece's enemy; it is its neighbor and its ally under the NATO umbrella," Erdoğan said.

He warned against turning bilateral relations into an election issue, saying ties between the two countries were too sensitive and important to be used as domestic political material.

UN reform

Erdoğan also renewed his call for sweeping reform of the United Nations, criticizing a system in which the will of more than 190 countries could be constrained by the veto powers of five permanent Security Council members.

He said Türkiye's position was not about seeking greater influence for itself but ensuring fair representation for Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Islamic world, Europe and other regions.

Erdoğan called for the UNSC veto mechanism to be abolished and for the General Assembly to become stronger and more effective.

Under a reformed system, elected members should serve for defined periods and would have to regain the confidence of the international community if they wanted another term, he said.

"The world's problems should not be solved and decided by five members, but by all members," Erdoğan said.

COP31 in Antalya

Erdoğan also outlined Türkiye's priorities for COP31, which Antalya is set to host from Nov. 9-20, saying the summit would focus on concrete action against climate change and provide a stronger platform for developing countries.

He said Türkiye would present its measures and road maps and outline how it planned to address the differing effects of climate change across regions.

"COP31 is not just a climate conference," Erdoğan said, describing it as a platform where developing countries could make their voices heard, set out their expectations and pursue concrete results.

He said developed countries had a responsibility to stand by and support nations facing difficulties in accessing climate financing.

"The fight against climate change now requires action, not words," Erdoğan said.

Disasters did not recognize national boundaries, he added, pointing to wildfires, floods and droughts as challenges requiring cooperation across borders.

Erdoğan said he expected the Antalya COP31 summit to become an important milestone in global efforts to tackle climate change.