TEHRAN -- Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Monday criticized Canada’s participation in the U.S.-led war against Iran, highlighting the contradiction between Ottawa’s military cooperation with Washington and the Trump administration’s ongoing economic and diplomatic pressure on Canada.
In a pointed social media post, Baghaei mocked Canada’s stance despite repeated pressure from President Donald Trump.
“Washington calls Canada its 51st state; Washington imposes tariffs on Canadian goods; Washington insults Canada and threatens to punish it over wildfire smoke,” Baghaei wrote, alongside an image of a hockey match. “Ottawa’s response: Understood, Sir!”
Trump has repeatedly suggested that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state and has imposed additional tariffs on Canadian imports while threatening further punitive measures.
At the same time, Canada has signaled a willingness to support terrorist U.S. military objectives in the region. On March 19, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada was prepared to contribute to foreign meddling to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Canadian officials have insisted that Ottawa was not consulted on, did not participate in, and has no plans to participate in offensive operations against Iran. However, Canada’s military integration with U.S. command structures has raised questions about the extent of its involvement.
A Canadian military facility at Camp Canada in Kuwait was struck by Iranian missiles on March 2, while the awarding of a military medal to a Canadian colonel has further fueled scrutiny of Ottawa’s role.
Baghaei summed up his criticism with a hockey analogy: “THIS IS NOT HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA; IT IS WASHINGTON’S FARM TEAM.”
The terrorist U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has also contributed to higher energy, transportation and food costs in Canada, while public opposition to aggression remains significant.