Canadian officials in the Middle East scrambled to help American citizens trying to escape the region after U.S. President Donald Trump launched his war against Iran, the federal government confirmed Wednesday.
The assistance, revealed by the U.S.-based publication Semafor, was provided after American officials did not have a facility for U.S. citizens to pick up new or renewed passports required to leave the region.
According to the report, Canadian officials in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) gave U.S. consular staff space at the embassy’s check-in counter to get American citizens the paperwork required to leave the region.
While Global Affairs Canada (GAC) said its focus is on providing consular assistance to Canadians abroad, the department told Global News that it also assisted citizens from multiple regions during the current conflict in the Middle East.
“Canada offered seats to citizens of several partner countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and others. Canada also coordinated closely with partners — including Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, France and Japan — to support consular efforts at key border crossings with Iran,” GAC spokesperson Thida Ith wrote in a statement.
“The collaboration is supported by longstanding arrangements among Five Eyes partners that strengthen coordination on emergency management and security, contributing to more effective preparedness and response during crises.”
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The Canadian co-operation with U.S. efforts to evacuate its citizens comes at a time when relations between Ottawa and the Trump administration are beyond strained.
Canada has agreements with allied countries to share consular services in emergencies, but not with the U.S. Despite the lack of a formal agreement, GAC said assistance is given in collaboration with close security partners.
The department did not confirm specific details of the Semafor report, which quoted an unnamed U.S. State Department official as saying the Americans were “stuck” because they had “all these passports” printed in the U.S. but nowhere to distribute them to their citizens.
The report suggested the episode was evidence the U.S. State Department was “unprepared” for what the Trump Administration called “Operation Epic Fury,” the now-months-long war with Iran, which has killed more than 3,000 Iranians and 13 U.S. service members.
The conflict has also sent oil prices skyrocketing and caused turmoil in the global economy due to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Thomas Juneau, an international relations professor at the University of Ottawa who studies Iran, said that despite Trump’s rhetoric, U.S. and Canadian officials generally continue to enjoy a good working relationship on the operational level.
“In a normal world, this (consular assistance) would be routine. It would be noteworthy, because it’s a good news story, but in a non-Trumpian world this would be absolutely routine,” Juneau said in an interview.
“The other way to look at it would be to reverse it. For Canada to decline to help because of all the rhetoric, and not just rhetoric but consequences coming out of Washington … would be deeply counterproductive.”
Juneau said it’s an open question, however, how long those strong operational ties between officials can last with Trump at the helm.
So why is the comment turned off for the hanging of trump post. You jews own this outlet to? Yes, hang trump and the Israelis they have no place in Canada. We the people support this.
Never heard of Biden’s war. Obama’s war. Global your a commie rag!
@ James S – IS this your first time reading a Global News story??? They always blame Trump for the state of the world… literally always.
It would actually be shocking if they were critical of our own governments decisions… that would be a new one.
James s does the s stand for stupid?
Never heard for 8 years the term obama’s war even though he started dozens. Weird
Ohhh great… so now we are importing dumb arsses from the USA as well. We are the country of free loaders these days. Maybe we can offer them MIAD since all these wakkos have TDS syndrome.
canada giving more tax payers money away to terrorists
Thank you president Trump. Killed 3,000 Iranian terrorists. I support Donald Trump and his plan to rid the world of nuclear warfare. Iran hates the west period. Canada would be as much a target as the US. Our government is a disgrace and should be supporting Trump. liberal government bring in some more terrorists ,Canada needs more just in case we have a shortage. Canada should have helped Trump in the war against the IRGC.
Excellent, more doctors and engineers.
I support Donald Trump and his plan to rid the world of nuclear warfare. Iran hates the west period. Canada would be as much a target as the US. Our government is a disgrace and should be supporting Trump.
bring in some more terrorists ,Canada needs more just incase we have a shortage
so liberal government are going to bring them over , give them a nice big living allowance ,a home even a new car!!
here we go again! open arms to criminals , and ever thing else besides your own people LIBRIAL GOVENRMENT NEED TO GO!!
Canada should have helped Trump in the war against the IRGC.
Another garbage non story from Global.
Pathetic
Thank you president trump
Killed 3,000 Iranian terrorists. There fixed it for you.
Knowing the LPC they were probably IRGC members and radical
extremists with fake American I.D.
Why is the richest country in the world, who began the war with Iran in the first place, US not looking after its own citizens?
The LPC will open the border wide for anyone they think they can manipulate
Of bloody course we did. And I’m sure we gave them a full citizenship with refugee status as well
Anonymous, are you OK? You seem pretty smitten with Donald Trump. Thats not healthy you know, to be so taken with a criminal like him. Unless of course you are equally like minded in his ways. As most braindead MAGAts are.
Whats this!!? Global actually blaming Trump for the state of the globe? Really?? I thought he did no wrong. I know to some he’s a god. All his crime and sexual deviant behavior is A-OK with MAGAts.
Pffft
Want to know the best thing to take away from this? No nuclear armed Iran.
Thank you President Donald J. Trump