Canada organizing flights in neighbouring countries for Canadians fleeing Israel, Iran

Darren Major · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 19, 2025 11:05 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

The national authorities is readying to assistance Canadians fleeing the escalating struggle betwixt Israel and Iran by organizing commercialized flights retired of neighbouring countries, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says.

Speaking to CBC News Network's Power & Politics successful an interrogation airing Thursday, Anand urged Canadians fleeing some countries to caput to Jordan, Turkey and Armenia, wherever Canada is boosting its consular services.

"We are precise acrophobic astir Canadians successful the portion and we are encouraging each parties to workout maximum restraint," she told big David Cochrane. She said flights volition beryllium disposable "right away" and that Canada is looking astatine further options with allies.

WATCH | Canadians fleeing Israel, Iran should soon person entree to flights: 

Commercial airspace implicit some Israel and Iran has been closed arsenic Israel and Iran person launched galore attacks successful the past week.

Anand encouraged Canadians seeking consular services to registry with Global Affairs Canada.

Anand said "thousands" of Canadians stay successful some Israel and Iran and much are reaching retired to the authorities each day. CBC News has asked GAC for a circumstantial number.

WATCH | Canadians fleeing Israel, Iran should soon person entree to flights: 

"We person much calls coming successful from each jurisdiction, but we are monitoring those calls arsenic well. Some calls that we get are astir however bash we support our information portion staying successful the portion — and successful that respect, if they privation to stay, we are urging everyone to structure successful place," Anand said.

"If they privation to leave, we are assisting them successful neighbouring jurisdictions by booking flights for them to guarantee that they tin get to wherever they request to go."

Canadians fleeing from Iran to Turkey person 3 borderline crossing options and 1 astatine the Armenian border, according to GAC's website. Three borderline crossings are disposable from Israel and the West Bank to Jordan.

The authorities organized akin evacuation flights retired of Lebanon past fall, arsenic Israel carried retired subject enactment against Hezbollah. Evacuation flights were besides organized successful 2023 for Canadians who wished to permission Israel successful the aftermath of Hamas's Oct. 7 attacks.

WATCH | Canadians look challenges fleeing Israel-Iran conflict:

Diaspora communities successful Canada person expressed sedate concerns for household members successful the portion arsenic the struggle escalated past week.

Israel launched a astonishment onslaught connected Iran's subject and atomic sites past Friday, kicking disconnected an speech of rocket occurrence betwixt the 2 countries.

A Washington-based Iranian quality rights radical said astatine slightest 585 people, including 239 civilians, person been killed successful Iran and much than 1,300 wounded. 

Iran has fired immoderate 400 missiles and hundreds of drones, sidesplitting astatine slightest 24 radical successful Israel and wounding hundreds.

Tensions could flare further arsenic U.S. President Donald Trump has mulled connected whether to get progressive successful the conflict.

Trump initially distanced himself from Israel's astonishment onslaught connected Friday, which triggered the existent conflict, but successful caller days, helium has hinted astatine greater American involvement, saying helium wants thing "much bigger" than a ceasefire. The U.S. has besides sent much subject craft and warships to the region.

Thousands person fled Tehran by car, spending hours successful gridlocked postulation aft Trump called for an "immediate" evacuation of the metropolis of 10 cardinal earlier this week.