Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has strongly condemned a joint statement by Canada’s foreign and finance ministers, describing it as a distortion of facts, an act of appeasement towards Washington and a display of strategic confusion that aligns Ottawa with what Iranian authorities describe as US military aggression and economic warfare against the Islamic Republic.
“On the very day the U.S. president, in blatant contempt for Canada’s sovereignty and independence, portrayed the entire country as part of the United States, Canada’s foreign and finance ministers chose to further appease their bullying neighbor—this time by targeting Iran with a statement that distorts every fact about the situation in our region,” Baghaei said in a post on X on Monday, Press TV reports.
He emphasised that Ottawa is fully aware of the facts on the ground.
“Canada knows full well that the Strait of Hormuz was open and secure before USrael launched a war of aggression against Iran on 28 February.”
Baghaei rejected Canada’s portrayal of itself as a defender of international norms.
“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.”
The spokesperson also questioned Ottawa’s priorities.
“If freedom of navigation is truly the issue, why does Canada—having itself experienced American bad faith and knowing that U.S. signatures are ‘written in pencil’—choose to support U.S. military aggression and economic terrorism instead of calling for an end to American aggression, blockade, and economic warfare?”
He concluded that the Canadian position “is neither ‘diplomacy’ nor ‘responsible statecraft’. It is a display of strategic confusion and submission to intimidation—a choice that will not even shield Canada itself from American bullying and aggression.”
According to Press TV, the remarks came in response to a 6 September statement by Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne, which condemned what they called Iran’s “destabilizing activities”, including alleged threats to vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The ministers also voiced support for US-led efforts to “reopen” the waterway and announced additional sanctions.
Baghaei’s statement underscores Tehran’s longstanding position that genuine respect for freedom of navigation and international law requires an end to US military intervention, the alleged blockade of Iranian ports and what Tehran describes as economic terrorism, rather than countries echoing Washington’s narrative while themselves facing pressure from the US, Press TV said.
The broadcaster added that the Islamic Republic has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to the security of the strategic waterway as a coastal state, while reserving its right to self-defence against aggression.
Iranian officials argue that Ottawa’s decision to join what they describe as a campaign of aggression neither serves peace nor protects Canada from the bullying it claims to oppose.