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Carney's shift on Iran might not stop pressure for Canadian entanglement

  • Dylan Robertson

  • Canadian Press

  • March 4, 2026

Two men on a motorcycle decorated with a picture of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ride along a street near Khamenei's residency in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 1, 2026, in the aftermath of his confirmed death in U.S. and Israeli strikes. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

OTTAWA -- As Prime Minister Mark Carney shifts away from unequivocal support for American airstrikes on Iran, one expert says Canada could still be drawn into the conflict.

Carney on Tuesday expressed "regret" over the state of the global order and said he would have preferred to see the U.S. seek debate at the United Nations and consult with allies before launching strikes on Iran.

Carleton University international affairs professor Fen Osler Hampson says it's likely the U.S. will turn to Canada for naval support in the Persian Gulf if the war continues for weeks.

He notes the U.S. already has pressured the U.K. to allow it to use British bases for its bombing campaign, while U.S. President Donald Trump has been quick to threaten crushing tariffs on countries that don't bend to his will.

Hampson says the Gulf countries Carney has turned to for investment also might demand Canadian naval support to protect oil shipments.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says Canada is trying to broker diplomacy between countries in the region, but Hampson says there is no evidence Ottawa is effective in that role.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2026.