Politics
‘Türkiye stands firmly on side of peace as world order collapsing’
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Tuesday that the post–World War II global system is “cracking at its foundations” and warned that the world is being dragged into a chaotic era where might is right once again shapes global politics, stressing that Türkiye will not remain neutral in crises affecting its region and humanity.
Speaking at an iftar with lawmakers at the Turkish Parliament, Erdoğan cautioned that global instability is deepening and that the international system is being pulled toward an increasingly chaotic phase, underscoring the need for responsible leadership and stronger diplomacy to prevent further turbulence.
“We are collectively witnessing a global axis shift,” he said, adding that international agreements have become “patchworks,” international law is being sidelined and multilateral principles symbolized by the United Nations are being hollowed out by the very countries that built the system.
“The system established after the Second World War is quite literally collapsing,” Erdoğan said. “The world is heating up to a point where the smallest spark could ignite a fire. Global injustice is widening and becoming chronic. As the old order crumbles, no one yet knows what will replace it.”
Erdoğan said recent attacks on Iran have once again exposed the fragility of the global order, adding that the normalization of lawlessness, confrontation and tension has become one of the most serious risks facing the international community.
He emphasized that Türkiye has a clear and principled stance: “We are never neutral on matters affecting our region and humanity. We stand on the side of peace and stability, not conflict. We stand for dialogue, diplomacy, justice and cooperation. We stand against killing, oppression, banditry and all acts that violate human dignity.”
Erdoğan said Türkiye will continue to defend the rights of the oppressed and oppose global injustices “with courage,” just as it has done in past crises. He vowed that the country will maintain its principled position despite attempts to suppress the truth or pressure Ankara into silence.
Turning to domestic security, Erdoğan said one of the key pillars of the “Century of Türkiye” vision is the goal of a Türkiye and a region free of terrorism. He praised Parliament’s capacity to address even the most complex national issues and highlighted the work of the newly formed National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission, which recently approved its final report with cross-party support.
“Our duty is to remain prudent, calm and steadfast,” Erdoğan said. “As missiles fly in our neighborhood, we will act with caution and patience – but also with strength in the face of injustice. We are preparing for the Century of Türkiye by strengthening our economy, diplomacy, military and national unity.”
The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) seeks to restore its image, tarnished by the arrest of mayors on corruption charges. As promised by reinstated leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the “cleansing process” will now involve pre-emptive steps to prevent future cases. Starting next year, the party will introduce a “performance monitoring system” for its mayors, which will serve as a benchmark to assess whether they comply with the CHP’s predetermined criteria.
With this move, the mayors’ work both to date and in the period ahead will come under scrutiny. Their performance will be assessed based on how many of the criteria they have met, and at the end of the process, they will, in a sense, be given a “report card.”
The mayors will undergo reviews in a number of areas, including project management, financial management, human resources management and public relations. The flow of funds in municipalities, investments and the allocation of tenders are also expected to be examined comprehensively.
Mayors whose activities are deemed suspicious, who fail to meet the established criteria or are found to have performed poorly will not be nominated in the next election. Throughout the process, the main focus will be on clean politics and financial transparency.
All of the mayors who remain under the CHP umbrella are individuals who were nominated in the last local elections during Özgür Özel’s tenure as party chairperson. The party leadership also plans to hold a meeting of mayors shortly to strengthen central authority and discuss steps to be taken for the coming year.
Meanwhile, the CHP will hold a camp for its lawmakers in Bolu’s Abant district from Sept. 25-27, ahead of the opening of the new parliamentary term. Kılıçdaroğlu will also attend the camp. The meetings will address the new legislative year as well as developments within the party.
The head of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), Ibrahim Kalın, met with Abdussalam Zubi in Istanbul, the acting defense minister of Libya’s Government of National Unity, security sources said on Sunday.
Saturday’s meeting took place at a time when negotiations aimed at unifying Libya’s military and political institutions have gained momentum.
The two senior officials discussed developments in Libya and the wider region, steps to maintain Libya-Türkiye cooperation, as well as ongoing efforts to achieve political and military unity in Libya and preserve stability.
Zubi praised Türkiye for its efforts aimed at achieving unity in Libya.
Kalın, for his part, underlined Türkiye’s determination to continue its contributions and support for Libya’s security and stability.
Within the framework of its “One Libya” policy, Türkiye gives priority to preserving Libya’s unity, territorial integrity and cohesion, and continues its active efforts to establish lasting stability and preserve calm in Libya.
Based on this approach, Ankara maintains dialogue with all sides in Libya without distinction between the West, East and South and works together with Libyans to advance relations in all fields.
On Sept. 10, Kalın also met in the Turkish capital, Ankara with Aguila Saleh, the speaker of Libya’s House of Representatives, and Mohammed Takala, head of the High Council of State.
Moreover, the steadily developing relations between Türkiye and Libya are also creating new opportunities in the energy sector. In February 2026, TPAO was awarded the right to jointly operate two oil fields in Libya in the country’s first licensing round in 17 years. The agreement concerning these fields was signed in Tripoli on June 15, 2026.
More than 40 projects undertaken by Turkish companies are currently ongoing in Libya, with a total value exceeding $2.3 billion.
Bilateral trade volume between Türkiye and Libya reached approximately $3.5 billion in 2025.
The landmark three-nation Mecca Defense Alliance is still in its growth stage, but Türkiye’s top diplomat is confident of its expansion and further joint work. Speaking to broadcaster NTV late Saturday, Fidan said the alliance of Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had reached an advanced stage, with efforts underway to establish its headquarters and assign personnel, describing the initiative as a “very game-changing platform.” Fidan also implied that Türkiye stood ready to provide technical assistance to Saudi Arabia amid an escalating conflict with the Houthis in Yemen.
Fidan stated that there is “a very strong will” behind the alliance and that Ankara is working to turn that political will into action. “The Mecca alliance is really at a good stage. There’s a very strong will that has been put forward. We’re working with all our strength to put this will into action,” Fidan said.
He said steps toward institutionalizing the alliance are underway, particularly work to establish a secretariat envisaged under the agreement and a military headquarters affiliated with it. He added that detailed preparations for both structures have “almost been completed” and that the three countries have reached a common understanding of how they will operate.
“There are steps currently being taken toward institutionalization. In particular, the work on establishing the secretariat mentioned in the agreement and bringing an affiliated military headquarters into operation is almost complete. We have reached a common understanding. From now on, the remaining stage is to send personnel and make the headquarters operational. I am pleased with the process on this issue,” Fidan said.
He said that once institutionalization steps are completed, talks could be held with the other two founding countries on admitting new members.
“There is such a principle decision because our president said this from the beginning. If this does not grow, then it would not be an alliance area. We would have created a bloc. Our regional vision is for as many countries in the region as possible to come together and establish a common defense area.
“This defense area is not against outsiders; it is about solving problems within the region better through regional ownership and creating an environment of trust that has not existed before, in order to prevent new crises from emerging. The basic point of departure for all of this is the search for regional solutions to regional problems,” Fidan said.
He stressed that the alliance was not intended to create a new regional bloc against other countries but to establish a common defense framework based on regional ownership.
“It is an alliance open to the countries of the region,” he said.
Addressing recent attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on Saudi Arabia, Fidan said the issue has existed for roughly a decade, adding that a cease-fire was reached in 2022 before tensions resurfaced following the start of the Gaza conflict. He said Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and infrastructure had faced serious attacks.
“When we look at our agreement, countries have an allied responsibility toward one another. Our president is a leader who keeps his word. We have signed an agreement as states. We are in solidarity on this issue. In particular, we are assessing the situation together,” Fidan said.
He said Türkiye has condemned attacks targeting Saudi Arabia, particularly those directed at Mecca and the country’s oil infrastructure. Fidan also said Saudi Arabia should remain outside the ongoing dispute between Iran and the U.S., saying Riyadh is not seeking involvement in that confrontation.
“Saudi Arabia should be kept outside this equation because they themselves are not seeking to become involved. As members of the Mecca alliance, we are closely monitoring the situation. We have some consultations that are not reflected publicly. If there are military requirements, particularly in certain technical areas, we would have no difficulty meeting them,” he said.
On Saturday, Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense issued two alerts in al-Kharj and Farasan amid reports of Houthi attacks. The alerts followed a broader wave Friday covering seven cities and governorates. Authorities said Thursday that one person was killed and two were injured by debris from a Houthi drone intercepted above Taif.
The Houthis later claimed to have “foiled” what they called “criminal attempts” allegedly carried out by Saudi Arabia in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, without providing details. Saudi authorities did not link the claims to the alerts.
The latest developments follow repeated Houthi warnings and attacks involving missiles and drones. On July 20, the group announced a “maritime blockade” of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has led a coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized government against the Houthis since March 2015. The group has controlled Sanaa and several Yemeni provinces since September 2014.
On Thursday, Pakistan’s military spokesperson said his country would “go to any extent” to defend its ally, Saudi Arabia. Houthi forces this week reported fresh Saudi airstrikes, as Riyadh accused the group of launching a “cowardly” attack targeting Islam’s holy city of Mecca, prompting a wave of outrage from around the Muslim world.
In an interview Thursday with Arab News, Pakistan’s military spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said his country would back Saudi Arabia “both diplomatically and physically.”
“We will go to any extent for the security of (the two holy sanctuaries) and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” he said.
Criticism of the alliance
Asked about criticism from Israel, Iran, India and Greece that the alliance had remained only “on paper,” Fidan dismissed the claims. He said the criticism itself demonstrated the attention some countries were paying to the initiative and described some of the comments as attempts to discredit the alliance through media campaigns and disinformation.
“When we look at the countries you mentioned, Israel, India and Greece, we actually understand how much of an impact and how important a move the Mecca alliance is. These are reflections of discrediting operations through the press and disinformation methods. We laugh these off; they have no basis,” Fidan said.
Citing Türkiye’s decades of experience in NATO, he said an alliance should not be judged simply by how frequently its collective defense mechanisms are activated. He noted that Türkiye has been a NATO member since 1952 and said NATO’s collective defense mechanism under Article 5 had been activated only twice in its history.
Fidan said it was premature to describe the Mecca Alliance as ineffective when the agreement had been signed only recently, and institutional steps were already moving forward.
“No one called NATO a paper tiger or something made of paper because of that. An agreement signed only three months ago is already taking steps this quickly, yet it is being described in this way.
“This actually indirectly reflects the threat perception of those making these comments. We see them, we assess them, but they are not things to be taken seriously. You will see, the Mecca alliance will be a very game-changing platform,” he said.
Netanyahu and Israel
Fidan also addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent statements targeting Türkiye, saying Netanyahu is seeking to strengthen his political position at home, portray himself as indispensable and remain in power.
He said hostility toward Türkiye and efforts to portray Türkiye as a threat were also part of that approach.
“We do not underestimate this. We are closely following the statements and attitudes being put forward, particularly the military cooperation with countries in the region. Hopefully, Israel will adopt a foreign policy based on peace, respect and cooperation that serves both its own interests and those of the region. Otherwise, it will not only grow increasingly isolated, but will also pay the price itself together with the region,” Fidan said.
He said Türkiye was closely monitoring Israel’s policies and military cooperation with countries in the region.
Fidan also accused Netanyahu of seeking to create prolonged areas of instability in Syria, following Lebanon and Palestine, in order to strengthen his domestic political position and portray himself as indispensable.
“We clearly see that he is trying to make Syria, after Lebanon and Palestine, an area where he can establish his indispensability. We also clearly see the intention to create a problem there, turn that problem into an acute and permanent one, and then send his society a message along the lines of, ‘There is a serious problem here; if I am not here, this problem cannot be solved.’”
Fidan stressed that Türkiye would not be drawn into what he described as provocations.
“Türkiye is not a state that will fall for such provocations or cheap provocations. We know our position well, and we make our calculations carefully,” he said.
He added that Türkiye does not act alone in the region and maintains partnerships with regional countries.
“Israel is a threat not only to the region but to the world,” Fidan said.
He said international concern over Netanyahu’s policies was increasingly visible, including among countries traditionally considered close to Israel.
“The whole world is looking for solutions to deal with Netanyahu’s policies. As long as this continues, I think the necessary response will somehow be given. We are increasingly seeing these ideas and this position finding ground even among Israel’s traditional friends and among countries that feel indebted to Israel. This is also a very important development. We believe that, in the longer term, the process will ultimately favor the oppressed Palestinians,” he said.
Fidan also said the Muslim world was going through a difficult period and that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leadership and the solidarity demonstrated toward the region could contribute to overcoming many problems.
Accompanied by first lady Emine Erdoğan, a delegation of ministers and top officials, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan flew to New York on Sunday to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The event will be a showcase of Türkiye’s diplomatic prowess, which has helped Ankara raise its profile in the international community over the past two decades, from a mere observer of international affairs to a major power broker. As was the case at past assemblies, Erdoğan is expected to use the platform to draw attention to the plight of Palestinians in Gaza and the international community’s inaction over Israel’s atrocities.
The Turkish leader, who has addressed the assembly 16 times, is scheduled to be the fourth speaker on the assembly’s inaugural day on Sept. 22. Turkish media outlets reported that Erdoğan will focus his speech on Israel’s genocide in Gaza, recognition of a Palestinian state and steps that need to be taken to stop Israel.
On the margins of the assembly, Erdoğan will hold one-on-one talks with heads of state and government, including U.S. President Donald Trump. The talks between Erdoğan and Trump are expected to cover a broad range of issues, from CAATSA sanctions and the war in Ukraine to the $100 billion trade target and the war with Iran, as well as the procurement of F-35s and energy cooperation, according to a report by the Sabah newspaper.
From Ankara’s perspective, particular importance is attached to restarting the F-35 delivery process, which was suspended in 2019, securing engines for the national fighter jet KAAN, and fully lifting the CAATSA sanctions. Last year, Erdoğan also met with Trump in Washington following the U.N. General Assembly, while Trump visited Ankara in July. These meetings not only became milestones for the future of relations between the two countries but also stood out as examples of leader-level diplomacy.
On Sept. 23, Erdoğan will address a high-level event on climate action hosted by outgoing U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Türkiye is the joint host with Australia of the upcoming COP31 summit on the issue.
Burhanettin Duran, head of the Turkish Presidency’s Communications Directorate, said in a social media post over the weekend that Erdoğan would also attend events organized by think tanks and meet with representatives of the Turkish diaspora and Turkish-American business circles during his visit to New York.
The new session of the UNGA, which brings together world leaders every year in New York, will begin under the theme “Rebuilding Trust and Reigniting Global Solutions: Advancing the 2030 Agenda and Its Sustainable Development Goals.”
Erdoğan first attended the U.N. General Assembly meetings in 2005, when he was prime minister. In a speech there in 2009, Erdoğan highlighted the need to reform the structure of the U.N., something that became a recurring theme in his speeches in the following years and in foreign policy-related speeches the president delivered elsewhere. In his first speech at the General Assembly as president in 2014, Erdoğan turned this call into a slogan: “The world is bigger than five,” in reference to reforming the structure of the U.N. Security Council, which has five permanent members. He may repeat it in his next speech, as the U.N. has still not carried out the anticipated reforms to give more say in global affairs to countries other than the major powers.
“The United Nations must act decisively on problems before further delays occur, before more oppressed and innocent people lose their lives, and before the global conscience is further wounded. I would like to underline once again that the world is bigger than five. It is unacceptable to the global conscience that the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council render the United Nations ineffective in a manner that is incompatible with the realities of the world.
“Every decision taken depends, as you can see, on the will of a single country. If it says ‘no,’ it is no; if it says ‘yes,’ then action can be taken. While more than 2,000 innocent people were killed in Palestine in just a few months, the United Nations failed to produce the expected solution. While more than 200,000 people have been killed in Syria over four years and nearly 9 million people have been displaced, the United Nations has again failed to offer effective solutions,” Erdoğan said in his 2014 speech.
Türkiye on Friday condemned a terrorist attack near a mosque in Kohat, in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, that killed several people during Friday prayers, offering condolences to the Pakistani people.
“We condemn the terrorist attack carried out during Friday prayers near a mosque in the city of Kohat, in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“We pray for Allah’s mercy upon those who lost their lives in this heinous terrorist attack and extend our condolences to the people of Pakistan,” it added.
At least 21 people, including five civilians and 16 police officers, were killed and over 70 others were wounded in a suicide bombing targeting a police compound in northwestern Pakistan during Friday prayers, according to local media.
The casualties occurred when an explosives-laden vehicle rammed into the Old Police Lines gate in the Kohat district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a senior police official said, according to local broadcaster Geo News.
Police said six “terrorists,” including a suicide bomber, were also killed in the explosion. In a statement, police said a clearance operation was underway.
The explosion left a crater outside the mosque in the police compound.
Turkish authorities on Friday launched coordinated raids against an Israel-linked international fraud network accused of defrauding foreign nationals through bogus forex and cryptocurrency investment schemes.
Authorities detained 175 of 239 suspects in raids at 286 addresses in Istanbul and the western province of Muğla, Türkiye’s Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said.
Four separate investigations conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in 2026 uncovered evidence that some companies operating as call centers had used social media and the internet to advertise forex and cryptocurrency investments, promising high returns to foreign nationals, Gürlek said on X.
The investigation was coordinated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office’s Bureau for Investigating Terror Financing and Money Laundering Crimes, in cooperation with the Istanbul Regional Directorate of the National Intelligence Organization, the Department of Combating Organized Crime and the Istanbul Police Department’s Cybercrime Branch, he noted.
Analyses by Türkiye’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board, findings by intelligence and police units, and hundreds of victim complaints obtained through Interpol revealed that people linked to Israel were predominant in the ownership and ultimate beneficiary structures of the companies, Gürlek added.
The findings led authorities to uncover an organized fraud network targeting victims in multiple countries, he said.
The network allegedly used multilingual customer representatives to recruit victims and directed them to investment platforms controlled by suspects, where fabricated profit figures were displayed to encourage them to deposit more money.
When victims attempted to withdraw their funds, they were allegedly asked to make additional payments under pretexts such as “account blockage” and “taxes.” The money deposited by victims was then transferred to bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets abroad.
The network targeted many countries, particularly in Europe, the Far East, and Africa, and reached a transaction volume of approximately 13 billion Turkish liras ($266.4 million) over two years in transactions believed to have been related to office expenses and salary payments, he said.
Based on the findings, authorities launched simultaneous operations at 5 am local time against 28 companies, 42 call centers, and 239 suspects at 286 addresses in Istanbul and Mugla, with Interpol units also participating.
By 10 am, raids had been carried out at the call centers and 175 suspects had been detained, while operations to apprehend the remaining suspects were ongoing, Gürlek said.
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