Mark Carney on Iran strikes: ‘Return immediately to the negotiating table’

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In the aftermath of U.S. strikes on Iran Saturday night, Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for parties to “return immediately to the negotiating table,” and for de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East.

“Iran’s nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security, and Canada has been consistently clear that Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon,” he wrote in a post to X Sunday morning. “While U.S. military action taken last night was designed to alleviate that threat, the situation in the Middle East remains highly volatile. Stability in the region is a priority.”

The overnight strikes on three Iranian facilities came following a week of attacks exchanged between Israel and Iran, and amid stalled negotiations with the United States regarding Iran’s efforts to produce enriched nuclear material.

In an address Saturday, Trump said that the goal of the strikes was “the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat,” describing the country as “the world’s number one state sponsor of terror.”

Trump went on to describe the facilities as “completely and totally obliterated,” but warned that should Iran fail to “make peace,” more devastating attacks could follow.

“There will be either peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days,” the U.S. president said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the mission in a video address overnight, congratulating Trump on his use of the “awesome and righteous might of the United States” to launch the strikes.

“In tonight’s action against Iran’s nuclear facilities, America has been truly unsurpassed,” he said. “It has done what no other country on Earth could do.”

Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran’s president, condemned U.S. involvement in the escalating Middle-East conflict.

“This aggression showed that the United States is the primary instigator of the Zionist regime’s hostile actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said Sunday.

“Although they initially tried to deny their role, after our armed forces’ decisive and deterrent response and the Zionist regime’s clear incapacity, they were inevitably forced to enter the field themselves.”

Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre wrote in a Sunday post to X that “Allowing the genocidal regime in Iran to get a nuclear weapon would have been reckless,” and that preventive actions by the U.S. and Israeli militaries are “100% justified.”

“Hopefully the brave Iranian people will rise up and put an end to this appalling regime so the people can live in freedom and the world can live in peace,” he wrote.

Canadians in region cautioned

In a post seconds after Carney’s, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand reminded Canadians currently in the Middle East to register with Global Affairs Canada for “country-specific information, including available travel options.”

Anand said she and Carney are receiving regular briefings on new developments and are “ensuring that all necessary resources are available in support of Canada’s work to protect our citizens.”

Along with Defence Minister David McGuinty, Carney and Anand are expected to depart Sunday for a series of summits with European Union and NATO leaders regarding defence and security strategy.

Among the stops on the diplomatic tour will be the opportunity to sign an agreement with the EU that may open the door for Canada to join the ReArm Europe Initiative.

With files from The Canadian Press and The Associated Press