The border set between us and Iran was established in the Kasr-ı Şirin agreement, which was signed on May 17, 1639, between the Ottomans and the Safavid state after Murat IV conquered Baghdad. Remembering the centuries-long sectarian wars in the West, it is a great achievement that the two countries got along in this historical neighborhood without any wars.

In our day, Turkey and Iran have felt the need to get even closer to address energy issues and the fight against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). However, sectarian differences in the Islamic world are becoming an increasingly bigger threat after the US invasion of Iraq. This potential danger not only has the capacity to add new dimensions to Turkish-Iranian relations but also increases the hunger felt by those powers with their own calculations for the region.

Tension between Tehran and the West today over Iran's nuclear activities is growing. The US talks about using this as an excuse to strike Iran before the Bush administration leaves the White House. Turkey, on the other hand, continues to march up the path to European Union membership as a member in the same NATO alliance of which the US is a part.

There is a great contrast between and a difficult foreign policy issue for the two Islamic countries. Turkey and Iran have to solve this problem without a fight. In this respect, the Iranian president's visit is a milestone.

Turkey and Iran also stand for two different perceptions of Islam in the world.

Iran claims that it is Islamic and that it is run by a regime in which men of religion are politically influential.

Turkey, on the other hand, is sending a different message to the Islamic world with a democratic and secular system. Islam is a religion; democracy is a way of administration. A wide and influential circle of figures — particularly Fethullah Gülen, one of the most significant Turkish opinion makers — are showing that Islam can coexist with democracy. The idea that "democratic secularism" and a mature democracy will expand the freedom of religion and conscience, that this will further be guaranteed with the membership of Turkey in the EU and that Muslims would have no problems with such a democracy is becoming increasingly accepted in the world.

The example of a Turkey that is an EU member and does not fight the Western world represents the right way to prevent global terrorism — through an alliance of civilizations. Today humanity cannot make any progress on the road to peace through fighting.

Iran claims that through "revolution" and through exporting its regime to Islamic countries, Muslims will find the only way out in the globalizing world. It is obvious that even the consequences of the long years of war between Iraq and Iran do not verify this claim. Iraq, an Islamic country weakened by Iran, is under US occupation today. Iran has not managed to export its regime to any other country.

It is impossible to decide what direction to take without a correct reading of the world or correctly diagnosing humanity's problems.

The biggest mistake Iranian administrators have made is that they have acted in the name of Islam. With the support of the Western media, Iran has turned into an instrument of sparking hatred toward Muslims all across the world. It has made the work of people who serve religion alone without seeking any political ends more difficult, forcing them to confront the effects of negative propaganda first before getting their message across. Even in our country, whenever an Islamic topic comes up, the worry "Will Turkey become Iran?" is raised in certain media centers.

The regime in Iran is, of course, the Iranians' problem. However, claiming that their acts are done in the name of Islam is hurting Islam in the world.

We hope that the Iranian president's visit will give Iranian administrators the opportunity to think about this issue.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."