ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Canada was not consulted over the U.S-Israeli strikes on Iran that sparked the war in the Middle East and has no intention of participating in any offensive military operation, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Tuesday.
In a brief telephone interview with The Associated Press ahead of talks in Ankara with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Anand stressed Canada’s priority was the de-escalation of the conflict and the protection of civilians.
Anand arrived in Turkey for consultations on the situation in the region as the war rages on.
U.S. President Donald Trump called last week on NATO allies and major powers to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the alliance faces a “very bad future” if they refuse. Iran has blocked the waterway since the war began, driving up fuel prices and disrupting global supply chains and travel.
“Canada was not consulted, did not participate in the military action, and has no intention of participating in the offensive military operation,” Anand said. “Our foreign policy is focused on de-escalation and the protection of civilians and humanitarianism generally.”
The minister added that in a meeting with Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, both agreed that “de-escalation is of the utmost priority and that the war in the Middle East needs to end in the interests of civilian lives.”
Since the start of the war, NATO air defense systems have intercepted three ballistic missiles fired from Iran toward Turkey’s airspace. The action forced the alliance to deploy an additional Patriot missile defense system on Turkish territory.
Fidan, in an interview with the AP earlier this week, said Turkey’s top priority is to remain outside of the conflict and ruled out a military response at this stage, saying NATO’s defenses were effective.
Asked whether Canada would get involved if a NATO country was attacked, Anand said: “We will take all decisions concerning the alliance in conjunction with the alliance.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney initially backed the strikes on Iran but later said he supported them “with some regret” as they represented an extreme example of a rupturing world order.
Anand insisted there was no change in Canada’s foreign policy.
“It has been our long-standing position that Iran is a destabilizing force in the Middle East and in particular, Iran’s proliferation of its nuclear capacity,” she said. Anand said Carney’s reversal wasn’t about abandoning that stance, but about supporting regional stability, backing the Gulf states that have come under attack and prioritizing civilians and infrastructure.
The Canadian minister also expressed concerns over the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying it was the Lebanese people “who are bearing the brunt of the ongoing war.”
Canada, alongside France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, issued a statement on Monday warning of the grave consequences of escalating violence in Lebanon. The statement said a significant Israeli ground offensive could lead to devastating humanitarian consequences and protracted conflict “must be averted.”
“And we very much are concerned with Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel and the targeting of civilians,” Anand said. “We want to ensure that there is meaningful engagement by Israeli and Lebanese representatives to negotiate a sustainable political solution.”