There's a 'But' to Carney's Support for Iran Airstrikes

Canada is backing US-led airstrikes on Iran—but with a caveat, its prime minister made clear Wednesday. Speaking in Sydney, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa's endorsement, offered in the immediate aftermath of the initial attacks, comes "with regret," calling the conflict a symptom of a broken global system and urging moves to de-escalate, the New York Times reports. He criticized both Washington and Israel for bypassing the UN and failing to consult allies, including Canada, before taking action, and said any diplomatic solution must involve more countries than just the US, Israel, and Iran.

Carney stressed Canada won't join the military operation and will instead focus on diplomacy, denying the stance is an attempt to curry favor with President Trump ahead of trade talks. Nearly half of Canadians oppose the strikes, a new poll found. "Efforts should begin now to de-escalate," Carney said. But he also acknowledged, per the BBC, that Canada "has long supported the imperative of neutralizing this grave global threat," calling the Iranian regime "the biggest exporter of terror in the world" and saying it cannot be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. He also spoke out against the retaliatory strikes launched by Iran, which have targeted civilian areas and infrastructure, Politico reports.