Mark Carney expresses some 'regret' after backing U.S. strikes on Iran
· Toronto Sun
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s support of U.S. strikes on Iran has come with some “regret” as he expressed concern about the continued decline of the rules-based international order, The Canadian Press reported.
Carney broke ranks with some of his European allies by unequivocally endorsing last weekend’s strikes on Iran, which have since included strikes by Israel as well. Carney said Canada was not informed about the strikes in advance nor was it asked to participate, adding “it appears that these actions are inconsistent with international law.”
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Now that action has begun, Carney said he supports U.S. efforts to end Iran’s nuclear program and state-sponsored terrorism. He added the U.S. and Israel must “respect the rules on international engagement” and called on Iran to stop attacking civilians across the Middle East.
No federal evacuation plan
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said Canada has asked Oman for permission to use its airspace as other countries take their citizens out of the Middle East , but said there’s no plan to evacuate Canadians from the region while the strikes continue.
“The situation is very volatile and very real in terms of the potential for human life to be lost across the region and that is our main concern, always,” Anand said Tuesday.
“We would like to play a role in the cessation of hostilities and the diplomatic resolution to the future result between these countries. It is a role that we are seeking to continually play.”
Ottawa has urged Canadians to leave the Middle East by their own means. Global Affairs Canada said more than 97,000 Canadians are registered there.
They include a group of 16 Queen’s University students and one faculty member. The university said they’re safe in Doha after trying to make a connecting flight in Qatar following a biology field course in Sri Lanka.
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Canadian troops ‘out of harm’s way’
Earlier Tuesday, Defence Minister David McGuinty said Canadian military personnel in the Middle East were out of harm’s way. When asked how many military personnel were in the region, he said “some.
“They are all fine, out of harm’s way and it’s something that we’re watching very carefully,” McGuinty told reporters in Sydney, Australia, where he was on an official visit with the prime minister.
McGuinty would not say where Canadian troops were stationed in the region nor would the Department of Defence, citing national security concerns. He added the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is a positive step for Iran.
“Ayatollah Khamenei has been for many, many decades a very, very powerful force for evil in Iran and in the region,” he said with Canada severing diplomatic relations with Iran in 2012.
Carney spoke Tuesday with Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, thanking him for protecting at least 24,500 Canadians in the United Arab Emirates, which includes Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The U.A.E. is considering its own strikes against Iran, adding it was exposed to more than 1,000 strikes in that country.
— With files from The Canadian Press.