Canada’s PM Carney Won’t Rule Out Military Role in Iran War
Anand said inquiries for help are concentrated in Gulf states and several regional flashpoints:
CANBERRA, Australia — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday he cannot rule out Canada’s military participation in the escalating war in the Middle East, even as he reiterated that the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran launched last weekend appeared “inconsistent with international law.”
Asked in a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese whether there was any scenario in which Canada would get involved, Carney called the question hypothetical but left the door open. “One can never categorically rule out participation,” he said. “We will stand by our allies,” he added, stressing that “we will always defend Canadians.”
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Carney said he supported the strikes “with some regret,” characterizing them as an extreme symptom of a rupturing global order. He also confirmed Canada was not forewarned about the operation. “We were not informed in advance, we were not asked to participate,” Carney told reporters traveling with him in Australia.
He said the strikes appeared, on their face, to conflict with international law and criticized the lack of multilateral process, noting the United States and Israel acted “without engaging the United Nations or consulting with allies, including Canada,” according to Australia’s SBS News. Carney condemned strikes on civilians in Iran and urged “all parties … to respect the rules of international engagement,” while adding that whether the attacks broke international law “is a judgment for others to make.”
As the regional conflict disrupts air travel and strands nationals across the Gulf and Levant, Canada is preparing evacuation support. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said more than 2,000 Canadians have requested government assistance to leave the Middle East since fighting began on Saturday. Ottawa has instructed the Foreign Ministry to contract charter flights out of the United Arab Emirates in the coming days, pending Emirati approval to use its airspace.
Anand said inquiries for help are concentrated in Gulf states and several regional flashpoints:
- United Arab Emirates: about half of all requests
- Qatar: more than 230
- Lebanon: at least 160
- Israel: more than 90
- Iran: 74
Commercial air traffic remains largely absent across much of the region, with major Gulf hubs — including Dubai, the world’s busiest airport for international passengers — largely shut amid the conflict. The closures amount to the most significant disruption to global travel since the COVID-19 pandemic. Repatriation flights chartered by foreign governments, including Britain and France, were scheduled to depart Wednesday and Thursday, while the UAE has opened safe air corridors to help some citizens return home.
Carney’s remarks underscore the tension between Canada’s alliance commitments and its stated emphasis on international law. He has voiced solidarity with partners while distancing Ottawa from the legal and procedural path chosen by Washington and Jerusalem. For now, he said, Canada’s immediate focus is protecting its citizens and pressing all sides to de-escalate.
Officials in Ottawa said they are monitoring conditions hour by hour and will provide further details on assisted departures once flight permissions and security assessments are finalized.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
