Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday reaffirmed Canada’s support for U.S. and Israeli efforts to eliminate Iran’s nuclear and terrorist threats, but added it was a position taken “with regret” and suggested the decision to attack Iran was “inconsistent with international law.”
Speaking to reporters in Canberra, Australia, during his three-country international trip, Carney said the growing Middle East conflict “is another example of the failure of the international order” that he warned about in his widely-watched speech in Davos in January.
“We support efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security,” he said. “Because Canada is taking the world as it is, not passively waiting for a world we wish to be.
“We do, however, take this position with regret because the current conflict is another example of the failure of the international order,” Carney continued.
He particularly noted the failure of the U.S. and Israel to engage with the United Nations or allies “including Canada” before attacking Iran on Saturday.
“We were not informed in advance. We were not asked to participate. Prima facia, it appears that these actions are inconsistent with international law,” he said.
“We took a position because we view the nuclear threat and the export of terrorism of Iran over decades as one of the greatest threats to international peace and security. … In that limited sense, we supported that aspect.
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“That is not a blank cheque,” Carney continued. “That is not us participating, that is not us asking for something in exchange for that — none of that is true. That is just a straight-up position.”
The Trump administration has offered shifting explanations for launching the war against Iran alongside Israel. While it has cited the regime’s nuclear ambitions and missile program as threats, it has yet to clearly demonstrate whether Iran was on the verge of attacking its allies in the Middle East or Europe.
U.S. President Donald Trump has openly called for regime change, although those calls have stopped since the weekend, and there was confusion Tuesday over whether Israel or Iran was planning to attack the other first.
Carney confirmed he did not view Iran’s nuclear program as an “imminent threat,” but said an Iran armed with a nuclear weapon “would be the biggest threat” and again cited the regime’s support for terrorism and multiple failed international attempts to end the program.
“Nobody has a civil nuclear program that’s buried a mile beneath the desert. So that is a threat,” he said. “The exact timing of it, the exact aspect of it, I’m not privy to all the information in terms of that.”
Although he condemned Iran’s strikes on neighbouring Gulf nations that have hit civilian infrastructure and killed civilians, he did not similarly criticize the U.S. and Israeli strikes, instead imploring “all parties” to “respect the rules of international engagement.”
“Canada calls for a rapid de-escalation of hostilities and is prepared to assist in achieving this goal,” he added.
“Resolution of this crisis will require commitment to a broader political solution, and diplomatic engagement is essential to avoid a wider and deeper conflict. Innocent civilians must be protected, and all parties must commit to finding enduring agreements to end both nuclear proliferation and terrorist extremism. Canada will pursue this approach with like-minded countries and participants in the conflict.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said during an event at the Toronto Board of Trade earlier Tuesday that Canada’s approach was rooted in “pragmatism” and was focused on the safety of the roughly 100,000 Canadians in the region, as well as protecting civilian lives.
“The situation is fluid,” she said. “Our understanding is, and was at the time, that the intention (of the U.S.-Israeli strikes) was to address that nuclear threat.
“At the same time, we want a diplomatic resolution.”
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