"Without Somali, Sudanese, Yemeni, Syrian, Libyan and Iranian scholars at the table, we have scant chance of understanding these crucially important parts of the world."

So you have an assigned task, so to speak, and you tell your boss it's not possible for the above reason? And the  only way you can complete your project is if the U.S. changes its immigration laws? I can't speak for the Canadian experience but in the U.S. you're marked for the first round of the next layoffs.

Have it in Iran. Make antisemitism the first topic after introductions and follow it up with stoning homosexuals to death to keep interest high.

Speaking for myself of course, a person of average intelligence, "who do you think you're talking to"?