"It was inspiring to hear him talk about the challenges facing our planet and the solutions to those challenges," Khan said, referring to Erdoğan's speech.
"The world's eyes are on Türkiye. I believe the world will come away with a positive impression of this wonderful country," he added.
Khan made the remarks following the London-Istanbul Trade and Investment Meeting at the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ITO), where he met with ITO President Şekib Avdagiç and representatives of Istanbul's business community.
The meeting focused on strengthening trade and economic relations between Türkiye and the United Kingdom, exploring mutual investment opportunities and developing new areas of cooperation.
Beginning his speech with the Turkish greeting "Günaydın" (Good morning), Khan thanked his hosts for welcoming him to Istanbul.
He said he was both proud and somewhat embarrassed to be the first sitting Mayor of London to make an official visit to Türkiye.
Khan expressed confidence that Türkiye's hosting of COP31 would further strengthen the country's international reputation.
Highlighting the historical and cultural connections between London and Istanbul, he described the two cities as among the world's most multicultural and dynamic metropolitan centers.
"Both cities are located on the edge of Europe, at crossroads where the continent meets the rest of the world," Khan said.
He emphasized the importance of the Turkish community in London, describing it as a living bridge between the two cities.
Khan also pointed to the thousands of businesses and companies providing employment on both sides.
Addressing international conflicts and their economic consequences, Khan said London and Istanbul were experiencing the effects of crises beyond their control.
"Londoners and Istanbulites are having to pay the price for Trump's reckless war in Iran and Putin's unlawful invasion of Ukraine," he said.
Despite the international turmoil, Khan said he remained optimistic about opportunities for cooperation and economic growth.
"But amid all this chaos, I see hope," he added.
Khan calls for stronger Türkiye-UK investment ties
Khan said annual trade between Türkiye and the United Kingdom had already reached approximately £29 billion, but investment flows remained uneven.
"Today, the UK invests eight times more in Türkiye than Türkiye invests in the UK," he said.
"I believe this represents a major missed opportunity for both sides. But it is not too late to change this."
He called for a genuinely two-way economic partnership that would benefit both countries.
"I want us to build a truly two-way partnership that delivers mutual benefits, and I believe London can play a unique role in that partnership," Khan said.
The mayor also highlighted the contribution of London's Turkish community.
"I am extremely proud that more than 500,000 people of Turkish origin live in London," he said, noting their achievements in business, entrepreneurship, sports, medicine and politics.
Khan concluded his speech with a Turkish proverb he said he had learned the previous evening: "Bir elin nesi var, iki elin sesi var," meaning that cooperation produces greater results than individual effort.
'Türkiye's hospitality and hosting of COP31 have been extraordinary'
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Khan described his official visit to Türkiye as a privilege.
He said he had spent three days in Antalya attending COP31, emphasizing the importance of the international climate conference.
Khan noted that Türkiye was hosting the conference for the first time in its more than 30-year history.
He stressed that climate change was no longer a distant threat but an immediate global challenge.
"We saw this in the United Kingdom during the summer, with extreme weather events, heatwaves, wildfires and flash floods," he said.
"These are challenges we had not experienced until recent years, and they have caused serious concern for all of us."
Khan praised Türkiye's organization of the summit.
"The organization was truly excellent. Türkiye's hospitality and hosting were extraordinary," he said.
"I hope world leaders will make progress over the coming days in implementing policies to tackle the climate emergency. This is extremely important."
Khan said one of the most impressive aspects of his visit to Antalya was the energy and determination demonstrated by mayors, city leaders and civil society representatives.
"I believe cities are leading the fight against climate change," he said.
Highlighting London's environmental achievements, Khan said carbon emissions had fallen by more than 23% since he became mayor.
He also said air quality had improved by more than 50%, hundreds of thousands of green jobs had been supported and London's green economy had grown to £50 billion.
"I hope national leaders will follow the example set by mayors," he said.
Returning to Erdoğan's COP31 address, Khan praised the Turkish president's remarks on environmental challenges and proposed solutions.
"It was inspiring to hear him talk about the challenges facing our planet and the solutions to those challenges," he said.
Khan also welcomed the participation of international leaders and prominent political figures, including Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, UK PM Andy Burnham, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
He said the presence of leaders and mayors from around the world gave him hope.
"One point I particularly want to emphasize is that the world's eyes are on Türkiye," Khan said.
"I believe the world will come away with a positive impression of this wonderful country."
Khan highlighted the close relationship between London and Istanbul, as well as cooperation between the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, the British Chamber of Commerce and the London Chamber of Commerce.
He praised Avdagiç's leadership and emphasized the importance of cooperation between political leaders and the private sector.
"Good politicians work with businesses, and good businesspeople work with politicians," he said.
Khan added that he had campaigned to become London's most business-friendly mayor while recognizing diversity as one of the city's greatest strengths.
Responding to a question about why Turkish companies should choose London over other global financial centers, Khan delivered a direct message to Türkiye's business community.
"My message to businesses in Türkiye and Istanbul today is very simple: Thank you," he said.
"Businesses create jobs, prosperity and economic growth. Politicians do not do that. We create the environment in which businesses can thrive."
He described economic development as a partnership between the public and private sectors.
"Thank you for what you do in Istanbul. Thank you for what you do in Türkiye. I want to see the same success in London," Khan said.
"So my message is very clear: Come to London. London is open. London is open for business, open to your investments and open to your ideas."
Khan reiterated his desire to increase Turkish investment in the British capital.
"One of the things I am proud of is the significant investment flowing from London to Türkiye. But I also want to see investment flowing from Türkiye to London," he said.
He noted that investment from London into Türkiye was approximately eight times greater than investment in the opposite direction.
"We want to change that balance and increase investment from Türkiye into London," he added.
ITO President Şekib Avdagiç described Khan's visit as an important milestone in relations between the two global cities.
"This is the first time a sitting Mayor of London has visited Istanbul, and we are delighted to host him at the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce," Avdagiç said.
He emphasized the growing economic importance of major metropolitan areas.
"Although the economic influence of countries remains significant, the importance of metropolitan cities continues to increase," he said.
"Therefore, relations between major cities are becoming increasingly important."
Avdagiç said stronger ties between London and Istanbul could boost trade, tourism and investment.
He highlighted London's importance as a major international destination for Turkish airlines, including Turkish Airlines, Pegasus and AJet.
"London ranks first among the international destinations served most frequently by Turkish airlines," he said.
"This demonstrates the strong connection and substantial passenger traffic between Türkiye and London."
Avdagiç expressed hope that Istanbul would attract more investors and tourists from the British capital.
Both officials expressed their commitment to strengthening economic cooperation between London and Istanbul, encouraging investment and expanding business opportunities between Türkiye and the United Kingdom.
