The Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul is expected in Tehran here today for talks with Iranian officials about the Iraqi crisis on the last leg of a regional tour that has already taken him to Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.

It seems that Gul in the tour has been trying to coordinate the stances of Muslim nations regarding the U.S. anticipated military action against Iraq.

Analysts believe that Gul is also trying to brief Muslim nations of the region on Turkey's policies regarding the Iraqi crisis. However, a member of Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Hamid-Reza Hajji-Babaei, believes that Gul is merely trying to inform these nations that Ankara is unable to reject U.S. pressures for military support in the case of a war in the region.

Hereunder is the full-text of the TEHRAN TIME interview with Hajji-Babaei.

Q: Do you think that Gul's visit to Tehran is indicative of a change in Turkish foreign policy toward Iran? A: Iran is one of Turkey's most important neighbors. Therefore, it cannot adopt a decision regarding a certain regional issue without considering the positions of the Islamic Republic.

This has actually prompted Gul to include Tehran in his list of the region's must-visits.

Besides, the visit could help promote Tehran-Ankara relations given that the Turkish prime minister is a member of the country's Justice and Development Party (AKP) - which is an Islamic movement and enjoys popular support.

This is especially significant when considering the current sensitive regional situation, and the need for the regional states to coordinate stances to better support their interests.

Q: The Turkish prime minister was in Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia before arriving in Iran. What do you think he is trying to achieve in his regional tour? A: Gul's regional tour could be discussed from two different viewpoints. First of all, the visit could be justified as part of Ankara's efforts to consolidate relations with Muslim countries, particularly considering that the Turkish premier is an Islamist AKP member. Secondly, the visits could be viewed as part of Ankara's efforts to explain its viewpoints to the Muslim nations on the possible U.S. anti-Iraq camping.

Q: The Turkish prime minister has announced that his tour aims at reinforcing regional peace. To what extend do you think Turkey will be successful to avert U.S. military action against Baghdad? A: Turkey will eventually play a significant role in the upcoming U.S. anti-Iraq campaign by providing military bases to Washington. In other words, Ankara is in the front line of U.S. war on Iraq, and cannot escape the consequences of future developments in the country.

But it seems that Turkey will by no means be able to change the U.S. decision to attack Iraq, or even the U.S. decision to come to terms with the country. Abdullah Gul is in fact visiting the Muslim nations of the region to inform them of Ankara's policies on regional developments.

Q: How do you evaluate Turkey's ability to refuse to nod to U.S. pressures? Do you think Turkey can ever turn down Washington's request for the mobilization of U.S. military troops in the country? A: Turkey does not have the ability to reject U.S. requests in that connection. The regional tour of the Turkish prime minister is in fact meant to justify Ankara's inability to resist U.S. pressure for providing support to Washington's anti-Iraq campaign.

On the other hand, the current government in Turkey, that has Islamic tendencies, needs the support of Muslim nations to survive. At the same time, Ankara is concerned about maintaining relations with Washington. These have prompted the Turkish government to chart a course in Ankara's foreign policy so as to judiciously maintain correct ties with both the U.S. and Muslim nations thorough the regional tour.

Q: It has been reported that the Turkish minister of trade has recently visited Baghdad. The question on the lips of the analysts now is that how come Ankara is cooperating with Baghdad and at the same time with Washington. Do you think this dual policy will ever support the Turkish interests? A: Turkey is currently being threatened by Iraq, and is at the same time pressured by the U.S. over the prevailing crisis in the region. Iraq has announced that any country that provides military support to Washington during its possible campaign against the country will never escape the country's rage in the event the war breaks out.

Therefore, Turkey is currently going through harsh conditions, and the Baghdad trip by the Turkish trade minister could be an effort by Ankara meant to make up with the country. Still, it appears that the Turkish officials cannot easily make a connection between Ankara's policies toward Iraq, the U.S. and the Turkish interests.

Q: How do you think Gul's visit to Tehran would help the development of Iran-Turkey relations? A: Iran has always advocated the expansion of relations with Turkey. However, following the establishment of the new Turkish government, a large part of which includes Islamist AKP members, Tehran's mutual ties with Ankara can become even more diversified.

The promotion of Iran-Turkey relations can even be further developed relying on the two countries' mutual interests, and particularly by considering the fact that a war in the region would harm both countries.

Therefore, any decision by Ankara to deny support to a third country in any possible action against the Islamic Republic will definitely help strengthen Tehran-Ankara ties, and this will promise a bight prospect for bilateral relations in light of deep-rooted affinities between the two nations in several areas.