Iran has sharply criticized Canada for aligning with United States military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, describing Ottawa’s stance as a mixture of “strategic confusion” and “submission to intimidation.” The remarks came from Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, who posted on X that Canada chose to “appease” Washington on the same day President Donald Trump displayed a map suggesting Canada, Greenland, and Iceland were part of U.S. territory.
Baghaei was referencing a post by President Trump on Monday that depicted U.S. territory extending over Canada, Greenland, and Iceland. During his second term, Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of making Canada the 51st state and annexing Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory.
The Iranian response followed Canada’s condemnation of what it called Iran’s “destabilizing actions” in the Middle East. Canadian officials stated they would cooperate with international partners to maintain pressure on Tehran through sanctions and support for U.S.-led efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, alongside France and the United Kingdom.
“Canada cannot credibly present itself as a champion of ‘peace and security,’ ‘freedom of navigation,’ and ‘international law’ while simultaneously backing U.S. military aggression and Washington’s illegal, interventionist actions in our region,” Baghaei said. He added that Canada’s alignment with Washington amounts to “a choice that will not even shield Canada itself from American bullying and aggression.”
The diplomatic clash occurs against a backdrop of strained bilateral relations. Trade negotiations between Ottawa and Washington collapsed last month, with Prime Minister Mark Carney stating that American demands had gone too far. “They asked too much and offered too little,” Carney said. In response, the U.S. imposed tariffs on approximately $20 billion in Canadian goods, prompting Canada to introduce reciprocal “dollar-for-dollar” retaliatory tariffs set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. ET Tuesday.
Iran also targeted other U.S. allies, warning South Korea against potential military involvement. Baghaei posted on X in Korean, cautioning Seoul against supporting what he termed U.S. “aggression.” This followed reports that South Korea is in close communication with relevant nations to restore peace in the Middle East and is reviewing options, including military deployments, to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Any other country maintaining a military presence or participating in [U.S.] operations in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz can only be regarded as directly supporting the perpetrators of the aggression, and it will lead to serious consequences,” Baghaei warned.
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