Anita Anand, Canada’s foreign minister, said Tuesday that Canada was not consulted on the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that sparked the Middle East war and that Canada will not participate in any offensive military operation. Anand made the comments in a brief telephone interview with The Associated Press ahead of talks in Ankara with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, where she said her priority was reducing tensions and protecting civilians.

Anand said: “Canada was not consulted, did not participate in the military action, and has no intention of participating in the offensive military operation.” She added that Canada’s foreign policy is focused on de-escalation and the protection of civilians and humanitarianism.

The remarks come as U.S. President Donald Trump has called on NATO allies and major powers to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the alliance faces “a very bad future” if it refuses. Iran has blocked the waterway since the war began, a situation that has driven up fuel prices and disrupted global supply chains and travel, Anand’s interview described.

Anand also tied the question of Canada’s approach to its alliance relationship. 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.”

In the interview, Anand said she met with Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz and that both agreed “de-escalation is of the utmost priority and that the war in the Middle East needs to end in the interests of civilian lives.” She said the focus on ending the conflict would also involve efforts to protect civilians as the war continues across the region.

Anand addressed Canada’s earlier political support for the strikes as well. Prime Minister Mark Carney initially backed the strikes on Iran but later said he supported them “with some regret,” characterizing them as an example of a rupturing world order. Anand said she saw no change in Canada’s foreign policy, saying it has long held that Iran is a destabilizing force in the Middle East and in particular that Iran’s proliferation of nuclear capacity is a concern, while Carney’s reversal was about supporting regional stability and backing Gulf states that have come under attack.

The AP report also noted that NATO air defenses have intercepted three ballistic missiles fired from Iran toward Turkey’s airspace since the start of the war. Anand said the interceptions forced NATO to deploy an additional Patriot missile defense system on Turkish territory.

Anand’s interview took up broader regional dangers beyond Iran, including the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. She said it was the Lebanese people who were “bearing the brunt of the ongoing war,” and she said Canada was concerned about Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel and the targeting of civilians.

Canada has also coordinated with European partners on Lebanon policy, according to the report. Anand said Canada, alongside France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, issued a statement Monday warning of grave consequences from escalating violence in Lebanon. She said the statement warned that a significant Israeli ground offensive could lead to devastating humanitarian consequences and that protracted conflict “must be averted,” while she said Canada wants “meaningful engagement by Israeli and Lebanese representatives to negotiate a sustainable political solution.”

Sources:

  • Associated Press (Suzan Fraser), March 17, 2026, “Canada was not consulted on Iran war and won’t join offensive action, minister says”.