Canada has relocated non-essential staff and their families from its diplomatic offices in Israel and the West Bank to a safe third country as the deadly conflict with Iran continues to escalate.
A daily update from Global Affairs Canada said four non-critical personnel and 20 dependents were moved Monday from Tel Aviv and Ramallah, adding the Canadian embassy in the Israeli capital and the Ramallah consular office remain operational. Canada does not have a diplomatic or consular presence in Iran.
The department said it has received no reports of Canadian injuries or deaths since Israel and Iran began trading strikes Friday after Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities and killed top Iranian generals and scientists.
“The safety and security of our staff is of utmost priority, and all personnel are safe and accounted for, including one embassy staff member who was directly affected in Tel Aviv,” Global Affairs Canada said in an email.
As of Monday, more than 80,000 Canadians are registered with the government’s Registration of Canadians Abroad Service in the Middle East, including over 3,500 in Iran and over 6,700 in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.
Global Affairs Canada notes the numbers are based on voluntary registration with the program and don’t accurately reflect the number of Canadians currently there. It says the numbers may include outdated or inaccurate information and also does not reflect how many Canadians may require assistance.
Canada updated its travel advice for much of the Middle East over the weekend, warning Canadians not to travel to Iran, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza and other nearby countries as the regional conflict grows.
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The government is urging Canadians in the region to keep their travel documents updated, monitor the news and follow the instructions of local authorities. Canadians in Iran and Israel are advised to locate the nearest bomb shelter or find another secure place to take shelter if air raid sirens go off.
The airspace over Iran has been closed since late last week, while Israel’s airport closed to all commercial flights after the hostilities with Iran began.
The U.S. State Department has provided specific instructions on how American citizens can leave Iran through land borders in order to return to the U.S. via commercial flights from neighbouring countries like Turkey and Armenia.
Global Affairs Canada said it has deployed members of its Standing Rapid Deployment Team “who are on standby ready to deploy on short notice to assist the Government of Canada when responding to emergencies,” including with consular assistance, emergency response and logistical support.
The G7 said in a joint statement Tuesday that Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon” and affirmed that Israel “has a right to defend itself,” while also stressing “the importance of the protection of civilians.
“We urge that the resolution of the Iranian crisis leads to a broader de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza,” the statement said.
U.S. President Donald Trump left the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Canada a day early to deal with the conflict between Israel and Iran, telling reporters on Air Force One during the flight back to Washington: “I’m not looking at a ceasefire. We’re looking at better than a ceasefire.”
Trump posted “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” on his Truth Social website Tuesday afternoon, along with a veiled threat against Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,” he wrote. “But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.”
The night before, he urged “everyone” to evacuate Iran’s capital Tehran “immediately” as Israeli strikes continued, including on Iran’s state television headquarters.
The strikes have killed at least 224 people in Iran, while 24 people have been killed in Israel, according to health authorities in both countries.
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