Thank you all for coming here. We're quickly running out of time, so I will try to be as quick as I can.
Most states that we discuss here in this committee have either been failed states or states with the same types of human atrocities that are happening in Iran, but I notice that Iran is different, as it's the largest economy in the Middle East and North Africa. The GDP is $412 billion, as Mr. Akhavan mentioned. However, Mr. Akhavan, in your testimony, you said that there's a 30% unemployment rate and 33% live below the poverty line.
With a country, as compared to the countries we've studied in this committee, it seems that.... As you mentioned corruption is very rampant. The funds I just mentioned right here aren't going to the people. I think you're seeing a lot of corruption at the top. With that come all these human rights abuses.
What can we do, as Canada, as a state, or with other states that have engaged with Iran on other talks, for example the U.K., France, China, and Russia? That's externally.
Internally, within civil society, how can we start developing more talks, so we can see a lot of these funds directed to the people, so they can flourish and have better prosperity in their country?