"Ali Younesi, a senior advisor to Iranian President Rouhani and former Intelligence Minister during Khatemi’s tenure, has provided a stunning example of Iran’s hegemonic self-perception, growing confidence and power projection: “Iran today has become an empire as it was throughout history and its capital now is Baghdad, which is the center of our civilization and our culture and identity today as it was in the past…We will defend all the peoples of the region, because we consider them as part of Iran.