Prime Minister Mark Carney in Brampton, Ont. on Tuesday. Carney did not single Trump out specifically but said the situation in the Middle East was very serious.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
Prime Minister Mark Carney said leaders involved in the war in Iran must “choose their words” and act prudently, while not specifically criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump for his recent inflammatory threats of potential American military action.
Trump said in a post on Tuesday that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” if a deal isn’t reached to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
That followed a comment he made last week about bombing Iran “back to the stone ages.”
Asked about Trump’s remarks at a Thursday news conference in Brampton, Ont., Carney said all parties in the Iran war need to respect international law.
“That means not targeting, certainly civilians, or civilian infrastructure. And we urge all parties in this war to follow those responsibilities,” Carney said, without naming Trump or the United States specifically.
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Carney also reiterated his stance that the Iranian regime is a global security threat in response to a question on whether he regretted initially supporting the war.
At the onset of the war, Carney said Canada supported the strikes as a means to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
But days later Carney said that support came with “regret,” calling the conflict “another example of the failure of the international order.” He cited Iran’s pattern of ignoring UN Security Council resolutions and the failure of the U.S. and Israel to consult with allies before launching the attacks.
“It has always been the case, though, that Canada makes a distinction – a fundamental distinction, as others do – between those objectives, and obligations under international law, and the respect for human rights,” Carney said Tuesday.
Other international leaders have called for restraint in recent days, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres who warned the U.S. that attacks on civilian infrastructure are banned under international law.
Some Canadian politicians criticized Carney’s refusal to specifically address Trump’s rhetoric.
“Our ally is threatening genocide. At Davos, our prime minister promised principled consistency. Where’s Canada’s condemnation?” NDP MP and former interim leader Don Davies posted on X.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet called on Carney to summon U.S. ambassador Pete Hoekstra to inform him Canada “will not condone any words or actions of such violence against civilians.”
Trump said Monday he’s “not at all” concerned about committing war crimes as he continues to threaten destruction. He also warned that every power plant will be “burning, exploding and never to be used again.”
