With the absence of an embassy in Tehran, Canada interacts with turmoil in Iran from afar

Israel or Iran does not retract the escalating conflict that led to the exposure of civilians at risk in both countries, and because Canada does not have an embassy in Iran, Ottawa must work from afar to support Thousands of Canadian citizens Standing there.

While Canada has an embassy in Israel, it is Diplomatic relations with Tehran More than a decade ago.

Although there is an embassy that would provide Canada specific advantages, analysts and observers say there are limits to what can be done on the ground with a lot of chaos.

However, Bruce Maple, a retired diplomat whose publications in the Middle East, says that the presence of a diplomat allows at least both countries to speak with each other.

“It is stupid not to be there,” he said.

A long road to the border

Global Affairs Canada did not answer questions from CBC News about how the embassy was not affecting Ottawa’s efforts to support Canadians inside Iran.

But even if Canada has an embassy in Tehran at the present time, this will not change the fact that flights do not leave the capital. Both Iran and Israel closed its air spaces while launching many attacks over the past week, although Iran recently allowed an Indian trip to leave from another part of the country, and by many of them expected to follow.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand It has urgently urged Canadians flee Israel and Iran to go to Jordan, Armenia and Turkey.

But the trip to the nations adjacent to Turkey or Armenia is a long journey for anyone living in the Iranian capital, which is hundreds of kilometers from any of these destinations.

“The border is really far away,” said history professor at the University of Toronto, Mohamed Tafakuli Taragi, who was born in Tehran and is still in Iran.

He says that the roads outside the Iranian capital were sprayed by people trying to escape, making this road more difficult.

Tense journey

One of his students, Hania Bakhtari, returned to Iran recently to visit her parents, and the fighting began days after her arrival.

Battari and her partner from the country escaped on a bus, on a tense trip for 11 hours to Türkiye, saying that she was “constantly watching” the sky of potential attacks.

“We were … very afraid of being attacked while we were on the road,” said Bakhtari, who spoke to CBC. As it happens About her journey outside Iran.

Israel began A wave of attacks on June 13Targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites with the air strikes that were killed Iranian general generals And nuclear scientists.

Activists Hyman Human Rights in Washington in Iran says this As of ThursdayAt least 657 people were killed in Israeli attacks, including at least 263 civilians.

Iran launched retaliatory strikes, which included at least 450 missiles and 1,000 drones. At least twenty people were killed in Israel.

The Israeli batch against Iran may attract our involvement, although US President Donald Trump has been late to take a decision.

Relationship cost costs

Opinions are divided among observers about whether it is better for Canada to get an embassy in Tehran.

Peter C. Bates, a retired Canadian diplomat who was published twice to Tehran and helped close the Canadian embassy there in 2012: “The presence of an embassy in Tehran will not be a drug.”

Phil Gurski, a former analyst in Iran in Canadian spying agencies, finds himself “on both sides” of the discussion.

On the one hand, he says that there is a point where the line that cannot be tolerated is crossed, but when the embassy is closed and the relationships are cut, “You fly mainly.”

Gurski says there are other ways of the government to monitor events in Iran – including satellite review, use of signal intelligence, or continuing friendly embassies about what is revealed on Earth.

Gurski, Mabley and Bates notes that when the embassy is closed, the government will usually request an ally with the embassy in that same region to provide support in its absence.

However, any friendly embassy for the waste for Canada will give priority to the needs of its citizens first.

Since things are rising between Israel and Iran, any such ally may also receive similar requests from other countries that do not have a diplomatic presence in Tehran.

The U of T’s Tavakoli-Targhi sees a clear benefit provided by the embassy, ​​as well as granting diplomatic employees better to citizens abroad.

The embassies can be a source of hope for people who “in a moment of despair”, like many Canadians who live in Tehran at the present time.