I'm calling the meeting to order.
I'm very pleased that we are here this week for the ninth Iran Accountability Week sessions. The foreign affairs committee had one set of panellists already last week, and we will be having two sessions, one today and one on Thursday. This is a tradition in the Canadian Parliament which started nine years ago, in 2012. It's an opportunity—especially this year, given that it's been 40 years since the Iranian revolution—to hold the regime to account.
Traditionally, this is not a study. It is not something where we will be putting together recommendations. It is an opportunity for us to hear from people who have been human rights defenders and people who have been impacted regarding the human rights situation in Iran and to hear about some of the brutality of that regime. That is the purpose of these two meetings.
Today, we will have two witnesses. We will have four on Thursday.
Today's witnesses include Nader Hashemi, who is coming to us by video conference. He is director of the Center for Middle East Studies and professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver.
Welcome, Nader Hashemi.