Begin bold: Canadians should not count on government help to flee danger in Iran’s war zone. But here’s where it gets controversial: the reality on the ground is forcing many to act independently.
Canadians in the Middle East are being urged to make preparations that do not rely on the Government of Canada as the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran intensifies.
According to Global Affairs Canada (GAC), roughly 97,000 Canadian citizens and permanent residents are registered in the region as of Tuesday. Canadians are advised to avoid all travel to Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. They should also avoid non-essential travel to Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.
The department notes that its ability to provide consular assistance during active hostilities is limited, with priority given to essential services like processing travel documents. It adds that Canadians in affected countries should prepare contingency plans that do not depend on the government’s help for departure.
GAC will share information with Canadians registered in the region as soon as air travel or land crossings become available. As of Tuesday, GAC reported no confirmed injuries or fatalities among Canadians due to the conflict.
The actual number of Canadians in the region is likely higher than registrations suggest, since signing up with GAC is voluntary. The latest data shows Iran accounts for a portion of registrations, while the United Arab Emirates hosts the largest single bloc of registered Canadians at about 24,594.
Air travel disruptions worldwide have worsened as tensions escalate. Air Canada has cancelled flights to Israel and Dubai through March 22, with plans to resume on March 23. The carrier noted it is monitoring the situation and will adjust schedules accordingly. In response to disruptions, Air Canada is increasing direct flight frequency between Toronto and New Delhi and using larger aircraft on some Toronto–London–Mumbai routes to provide additional routing options for affected passengers.
Across Europe and parts of Asia, several countries have begun evacuations of their own citizens from the region. Austria plans repatriation flights from Muscat, Oman, prioritizing vulnerable individuals. Lithuania’s prime minister announced plans to evacuate vulnerable Lithuanian citizens from the United Arab Emirates and neighboring states. Poland has prepared evacuation planes should the situation worsen, estimating about 14,000 Polish nationals in the United Arab Emirates and around 400,000 EU citizens in the region, with over 480 Poles already evacuated from Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon.
South Korea reports evacuating 62 nationals from Israel to Egypt by bus, after previously resettling 23 Koreans from Iran; four Americans of Korean descent were also evacuated from Israel. Thailand plans to evacuate around 300 nationals from Iran— including diplomats—overland via Turkey, with the goal of transporting evacuees to a Turkish border city before flying them home. Thailand estimates roughly 100,000 Thai nationals live and work in the Middle East, including about 60,000 in Israel. About 1,000 Thai citizens in the United Arab Emirates have registered for repatriation, with plans to use commercial flights where possible, but authorities also stand ready to relocate evacuees to other countries if airspace closures prevent direct flights.
This coverage includes contributions from the Associated Press.
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