Rouhani's Assistant: Iraq is Currently Our Identity, Culture, and Capital

Ali Yunusi, the special assistant to the President of Iran, stated: "Currently, Iraq is not only our area of civilizational influence but also our identity, culture, center, and capital, and this is true for both today and the past." He added: "Because the geography of Iran and Iraq is inseparable and our culture is indivisible. So we either have to fight together or unite." According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), Ali Yunusi made these remarks on Sunday, March 8, at the "Great Iranian Identity Conference" at the International Conference Center of Raizan. He did not provide further explanation regarding Iraq's status as the "center and capital" for Iran; however, his comments may refer to ancient history when Ctesiphon or Madain, located in present-day Iraq, was once the capital of the Persian Empire. The special assistant to Hassan Rouhani in ethnic and religious minority affairs emphasized that "we defend the interests of the people of the region because they are all people of Iran," adding: "Everyone living in the Iranian plateau will be supported by us, and we will defend them against the dangers of Islamic extremism, takfir, heresy, new Ottoman dominance, Wahhabism, Western hegemony, and Zionism." Ali Yunusi stated that "Iran currently supports Iraq," adding: "They cannot do this; our historical rivals, the heirs of the Eastern Roman Empire and the Ottomans, are upset that Iran is helping Iraq while we must say that if you could, you would come and help." He emphasized: "We must say you do not have the capacity to confront them, and we support the interests of the people of the region." Yunusi: Iran was born as an empire. The President's special assistant continued his remarks by stating that "Iran has been global since its birth and was born as an empire." He also referenced recent statements by the Israeli Prime Minister, saying: "Netanyahu has explicitly acknowledged the greatness and influence of Iran, and although he claims that Iran has swallowed four countries in the region, Iran has been trying to help these countries." Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, stated on Monday, February 15, that the "Iranian empire" is being revived and that "Iran is currently dominant over several important countries and areas of influence in the region; Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, and recently has strengthened its foothold in Yemen." Recently, Alireza Zakani, a member of parliament, considered the Houthi takeover of Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, as the conquest of Iran's "fourth capital." In his remarks on Sunday, Yunusi expressed hope for the formation of a union in the Iranian plateau, saying: "The union does not mean we remove borders, but all countries in the Iranian plateau should come closer together because their interests and security are intertwined." The assistant to Hassan Rouhani concluded his remarks by stating that "of course, my words do not mean that we want to take over the world again, but we must know our place and achieve historical self-awareness. That is, we should think globally but act Iranian and national." He also called for the formation of a union of countries in the Iranian plateau. Ali Yunusi was appointed as the special assistant to the President for ethnic and religious minorities on October 1, 2013. Previously, Yunusi's remarks regarding the proposal to restore the symbol of the lion and sun instead of the Red Crescent had sparked controversy.