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As the war waged by the U.S. and Israel continues in Iran, hundreds of Canadians continue to exit the region by air, bus, and even on foot.
New numbers from Global Affairs Canada show that 109,889 Canadians have registered with the government’s voluntary registration system.
Of that number, 9,185 have made requests for assistance – 5,267 have asked for help to leave the region. The requests come as Iran’s war targets widened over the weekend into civilian infrastructure.
The agency noted that as of Sunday, it was not aware of any Canadians who have been injured or killed amid the conflict.
Bahrain accused Iran on Sunday of striking one of the desalination plants crucial for Gulf nations’ drinking water.
The same day, Saudi Arabia reported its first deaths, saying a military projectile fell into a residential area and killed two people of Indian and Bangladeshi nationality and that 12 other Bangladeshis were wounded.
Foreign residents and workers have made up most of the war’s deaths in Gulf nations.
The war, which Israel and the U.S. launched with airstrikes on Feb. 28 that killed Iran’s supreme leader, has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, 397 in Lebanon, and 11 in Israel, according to officials. Six U.S. and two Israeli soldiers have also been killed.
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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian backtracked from comments he made a day earlier in which he apologized for attacks on Gulf neighbours’ soil. At the time, Iranian hard-liners swiftly contradicted him, saying the country’s war strategy wouldn’t change.
He appeared to echo that stance on Sunday, saying the more pressure imposed on Iran, the stronger their response would be.
“Our Iran, our country, will not bow easily in the face of bullying, oppression or aggression — and it never has,” Pezeshkian said. He urged neighbouring states not to take part in the attacks, despite U.S. strikes coming from bases and vessels in the region.
Canadians leaving by air, bus and foot: Global Affairs Canada
With the war raging, Canadians in the various countries have asked for help to a varying degree.
Of the 9,777 Canadians registered in Qatar, 1,077 – about 11 per cent – have asked the federal government for help.
Despite having the second-most number of Canadians registered at 24,101, just 389 – or 1.65 per cent – have asked for help to leave Lebanon.
The highest number of Canadians registered in the region are in the United Arab Emirates, with 30,632. A total of 2,668, or 8.71 per cent, have requested help in leaving.
The federal government said Sunday it continues to work to support Canadians’ departure from several Middle Eastern countries, including at pedestrian land crossings, with 182 known crossings to date. The majority, 150 people, have walked from Israel to Egypt, and 32 have left Iran for Turkiye, Armenia, Azerbaijan or Turkmenistan.
“Consular officials have been deployed to countries bordering Iran, including stationed near several Iranian borders to meet any Canadians who cross,” Global Affairs Canada said in a statement.
Ground and air transportation have also been utilized, with three transports taking place on the ground this weekend.
Four buses from Qatar to Saudi Arabia left on Saturday, with Global Affairs Canada reporting 54 Canadians on board. Three more buses were scheduled Sunday, with a total of 47 Canadians on board.
The agency also noted 93 Canadians were on a chartered flight from Dubai to Istanbul on Saturday.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced on Friday that Canada had also reserved hundreds of seats for Canadians on commercial flights leaving the Gulf region, adding if Canadians did not take them, the government would offer them to Europeans and others.
According to Global Affairs Canada, a total of 154 Canadians were on board four flights between Friday and Sunday. It noted though, that 72 passengers on two Beirut to Istanbul flights on Friday and Saturday were tickets sold rather than confirmed passengers, with confirmed numbers expected in the coming days.
A Dubai to Toronto flight on Saturday had 51 Canadians confirmed onboard, with a Beirut to Istanbul flight on Sunday carrying 31 Canadians.
–with files from The Associated Press and Global News’ Prisha Dev and Jillian Piper
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