Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday reaffirmed Canada’s support for US and Israeli efforts to end the nuclear and terrorist threats in Iran, but added that it was a position taken with “regret” and suggested that the decision to attack Iran was “inconsistent with international law.”
Speaking to reporters in Canberra, Australia, on his three-nation international tour, Carney said the escalating conflict in the Middle East is “another example of the failure of the international system” he warned about in his widely watched speech at Davos in January.
“We support efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from continuing to threaten international peace and security,” he said. “Because Canada takes the world as it is, it doesn’t just wait for the country we want to be.
“However, we take this position with regret because the current conflict is another example of the failure of the international order,” Carney continued.
He noted in particular the failure of the US and Israel to cooperate with the United Nations or allies “including Canada” before attacking Iran on Saturday.
“We were not notified in advance. We were not asked to participate. Prima facia, it seems that these actions are not in accordance with international law,” he said.
“We took a position because we consider the nuclear threat and the export of terrorism to Iran over the decades as one of the biggest threats to international peace and security. … In that limited sense, we supported that aspect.
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“That’s not a blank check,” Carney continued. “That’s not us taking part, that’s not us asking for something in exchange for that – none of that is true. That’s just a direct position.”
The Trump administration has offered flexible explanations for launching a war against Iran alongside Israel. Although it has identified the regime’s nuclear ambitions and missile program as threats, it has yet to clearly demonstrate that Iran was on the verge of attacking its allies in the Middle East or Europe.
US President Donald Trump has publicly called for regime change, although those calls have stalled since the weekend, and there was confusion on Tuesday over whether Israel or Iran were planning to attack the other first.
Carney confirmed that he does not consider Iran’s nuclear program an “imminent threat,” but said a nuclear-armed Iran “would be a serious threat” and pointed to the state’s support for terrorism and the many failed international efforts to end the program.
“No one has a nuclear weapons program buried a mile under the desert. So that’s dangerous,” he said. “The exact timing of it, the exact aspect of it, I don’t know all the details of that.”
Although he condemned Iran’s strikes on neighboring Gulf countries that hit civilian infrastructure and killed civilians, he did not condemn the US and Israeli strikes, instead urging “all sides” to “respect the rules of international engagement.”
“Canada wants an immediate end to hostilities and is willing to help achieve this goal,” he added.
“The resolution of this problem will require a commitment to a comprehensive political solution, and diplomatic dialogue is essential to avoid a wider and deeper conflict. Innocent civilians must be protected, and all parties must commit to finding lasting agreements to end both nuclear proliferation and terrorist intensification. Canada will pursue this path with like-minded countries and participants in this conflict.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said during an event at the Toronto Board of Trade earlier Tuesday that Canada’s approach is based on “pragmatism” and focuses on the safety of about 100,000 Canadians in the region, as well as protecting people’s lives.
“The situation has not changed,” he said. “Our understanding, and at the time, was that the purpose (of the US-Israeli strikes) was to deal with that nuclear threat.
“At the same time, we want a diplomatic solution.”
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