Deficient language skills and the assumption that "everyone speaks English" are costing the UK economy around £48bn a year, or 3.5% of GDP, according to research by Professor James Foreman-Peck for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Between 1998 and 2010, the proportion of GCSE pupils taking a modern language fell from 77% to 43%. The conservatives claim "We have done a lot to turn that around"- Nicky Morgan. So why are they reducing the number of languages that can be taken at GCSE and A-level? Especially as many of these languages are taught in Community/Supplementary schools, by experts in their field that want and can help the examination bodies deliver them? Persian is spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and widely understood in Armenia, Azerbaijan, India, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey. With the 'opening up' of these areas in particular, Iran loosing Persian qualifications could cost us. Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of advertising giant WPP, last year described Iran as one of the last major untapped frontiers for business. According to emerging market investment house Renaissance Capital, Iran's gross domestic product last year was around $437bn (£282bn), ranking it as the world’s 27th largest economy, ahead of nations such as Austria. “Global investors are never going to see a country of this size and sophistication open up again” said Renaissance’s chief economist, Charles Robertson. Please sign this petition with these long-term opportunities in mind.