Canadians urged to leave parts of Middle East as conflict risk grows: Anand
Global News
The statement says Canadians in Israel, Palestine and Lebanon should consider departing while commercial options are still available.
Canada’s foreign affairs minister is urging Canadians in parts of the Middle East to consider leaving while commercial travel options remain available, warning that Ottawa’s ability to provide help during an active conflict would be limited.
In a statement issued late Friday, Anita Anand said the security situation across parts of the region remains “volatile and unpredictable,” and advised Canadians to remain vigilant, monitor local and international media, and follow instructions from local authorities, including any orders to shelter in place.
The statement says Canadians in Israel, Palestine and Lebanon should consider departing while commercial options are still available.
This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he’s “not happy” with the latest talks over Iran‘s nuclear program but indicated he would give negotiators more time to reach a deal to avert another war in the Middle East.
As American forces gather in the region, Trump has threatened military action if Iran does not agree to a far-reaching deal on its nuclear program, while Iran insists it has the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes and denies seeking a nuclear weapon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long urged tougher U.S. action against Iran, and has warned that Israel will respond to any Iranian attack.
Canadians in Iran are being urged to leave immediately if they can do so safely. The federal government notes there is no Canadian embassy in Iran and that its ability to provide consular services there is extremely limited, particularly during an active conflict.
The U.S. Central Command said the crash followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in “friendly airspace,” and that the other plane landed safely.
Water treatment centres in the Persian Gulf region are under threat amid the Iran war, with desalination plants in areas like Bahrain taking damage from strikes.
John Gradek said that the price of jet fuel is up about 30 per cent and the cost of fuel represents about 30 per cent of an airline's operating costs.
Iran's unrelenting attacks on shipping traffic and energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf pushed oil back above $100 a barrel on Thursday.
Concerns were raised in a document sent to British Prime Minster Keir Starmer in December 2024 when he was considering appointing Peter Mandelson.
Canada and a group of dozens of other countries have agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from their strategic reserves as the Iran war threatens the global supply.
Iran's military command said on Wednesday the world should be prepared for oil to hit US$200 a barrel, as three more ships came under attack in the blockaded Gulf.
Iran launched new attacks against Israel and Gulf Arab countries, while Israel carried out airstrikes on Iran and Lebanon, where it is battling Hezbollah militants.
The department said it is also seeing fewer Canadians take government-assisted travel options as flights gradually resume in certain parts of the region.
The war has sent oil prices surging, upending global travel, pushing airline tickets on some routes sky-high, and sparking fears of a deep travel slump.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States would carry out the most intense day of strikes against Iran on Tuesday.
Trump said the war would continue until Iran is 'totally and decisively defeated' and predicted it would be over 'very soon,' but denied suggestions it could end this week.
G7 finance ministers said they were monitoring the situation and were prepared to implement 'necessary measures,' but stopped short of committing to release emergency reserves.