Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Finally, as other panellists have said, global recognition is absolutely key. Canada is, according to the Canadian government, pursuing a feminist foreign policy. As part of that, it must recognize this vibrant feminist movement, underground movement, in Iran, and it must support it in every possible way.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Sure. As I mentioned, Khamenei believes that he has not yet achieved the ideal Islamic society. He is moving towards that. That is why Raisi has been de facto appointed and that is why the revolutionary guard, the hardline enforcers of the regime, are forming the foundation of that administration.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  There is a 100% link. Hezbollah was created by the Revolutionary Guards. As I said, Hossein Dehghan, who was the former defence minister of former so-called reformist president Hassan Rouhani in the late 1980s, wrote the Hezbollah charter. The Islamic Republic via the IRGC has been the biggest supporter for Hezbollah ideologically in terms of training, militarily in terms of the supply of arms, and in terms of logistics and coordination.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I want to end on this final point. The wages of all Hezbollah operatives are paid by the Islamic Republic. Sources in Lebanon tell me that for ordinary Hezbollah fighters, they are now being paid in local currency by Tehran, as Iran's regime no longer has the funds. From what I've heard from credible sources, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has told them to hold out and wait until sanctions are eased, when they will return to dollar payments.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  It is absolutely clear that President Raisi was involved. He says he's proud to have been involved in the heyat-e marg, the death committee, which was responsible for the deaths of as many as 30,000 Iranians. He has been designated by the United States, and I think the other western nations should follow suit.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you. The Quds Force is a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Like other branches of the guards, it makes no sense to target just the Quds Force. If you look at the Revolutionary Guards' DNA, first of all, it started off as an Islamist militia, as I explained, and it's maintained that militia identity throughout in the way it behaves.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  The Magnitsky sanctions are a key lever for Canada, and all liberal democracies, to take against human rights violators in the Islamic Republic of Iran. It's really important because, as I mentioned, much like the former Soviet Union and Putin's regime, the Islamic Republic is a regime that is corrupt to its core.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you, Mr. Ehsassi. In terms of lessons to be learned, the first key thing is that the Islamic Republic is becoming more ideological. There is no doubt that it's becoming more ideological. Khamenei is empowering the IRGC because he regards the IRGC as the sotoon-e kheimeh-e enghlab, which means the main pillar of the Islamic Revolution.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you. Members, Iran is at an inflection point. There are two contrasting realities, and I want to use this opportunity to shed light on both and on how the international community, not least leading democracies like Canada, can help shape the right outcome. The victory of hardline Islamist cleric Ebrahim Raisi marks a key turning point for the clerical regime, something that's been overlooked by the west.