As Iran-Israel conflict rages, Ottawa vows flight help if citizens get out

The federal government will help Canadians stuck in Iran, Israel and the West Bank leave the region on nearby commercial flights as the deadly conflict escalates.

Those Canadians will have to reach a neighbouring country first, however, Foreign Minister Anita Anand said in a statement Thursday.

Airspace over Iran and Israel has been closed since the two countries began trading strikes nearly a week ago. The situation has only devolved further since then, with U.S. President Donald Trump currently weighing whether to authorize U.S. military force against Iran.

Anand said the government is “planning commercial options for Canadians in Israel, the West Bank, and Iran to leave the region via certain neighbouring countries,” adding to existing assistance for Canadians wishing to leave Gaza.

“Given the airspace is not open, once Canadians have crossed the border into neighbouring countries, we have consular services available for them,” Anand said.

Extra consular services have been deployed in Jordan, Turkey and Armenia, she added, in addition to Israel and the West Bank.

“We are developing further options with our allies,” Anand said, urging Canadians to register with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service to receive up-to-date information and guidance from officials.

Global Affairs Canada said Tuesday that more than 82,000 Canadians in the Middle East are voluntarily registered with the service, including more than 4,000 in Iran and more than 6,600 in Israel.

The numbers, which were up from just a day prior, do not reflect how many Canadians may be in the region.

Canada has warned Canadians not to travel to the majority of countries in the Middle East due to the ongoing hostilities.

It relocated non-essential diplomatic staff and their families from Canada’s embassy in Tel Aviv and consular office in Ramallah on Monday.

The U.S. State Department has told American citizens wishing to leave Iran that they must enter neighbouring countries like Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan by foot before securing commercial flights.

The U.S. said Wednesday that it is planning evacuation flights for Americans out of Israel, including military transports in addition to commercial options. It pulled all non-essential diplomatic staff from the region before Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities on Friday, and has since sent more military assets to be on standby.

Canada and the U.S. do not have consular or diplomatic relations with Iran. Canadians in Iran are urged to contact the embassy in Ankara, Turkey, while the Swiss government provides consular services for Americans.

Thousands of other foreign nationals have already been evacuated from Israel and Iran by the European Union, China and other countries.

A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 1,300 wounded by Israeli strikes. In retaliation, Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones, killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds.

—With files from the Associated Press