More than 85,000 Canadian citizens and permanent residents remain registered across the Middle East, including nearly 3,000 in Iran, amid rising tensions from the ongoing conflict. These figures reflect voluntary self-registrations recorded as of Sunday and may undercount the actual presence on the ground.
Officials report no Canadians injured or killed due to the hostilities at this stage.
Key Registration Hotspots
Lebanon tops the list with 23,165 registered Canadians, closely followed by the United Arab Emirates at 23,064. Other notable figures include 6,006 in Israel, 2,921 in Iran, and 438 in the Palestinian territories.
Diplomatic Efforts Underway
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand has held discussions with counterparts in Kuwait, Israel, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Jordan, the United Kingdom, and Qatar to address the deteriorating security situation.
Strict Travel Warnings Issued
Canadians face urgent advisories to avoid all travel to Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Non-essential trips to Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia also carry strong cautions.
Global Flight Disruptions Hit Canada
A U.S. and Israeli strike on Iran, followed by Tehran’s retaliation, has caused widespread airspace closures and cancellations. Air Canada halted its Dubai flight on Saturday amid strikes affecting Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and the UAE.
The airline announced suspensions of all Dubai (DXB) flights until March 3 and Tel Aviv (TLV) services until March 8 due to the regional military tensions.
Canadian Students Stranded Abroad
A group of Queen’s University students, including fourth-year biology undergraduate Claire Haffner, finds itself stuck at Doha airport in Qatar. The students had boarded a flight to Toronto after a field course in Sri Lanka, with a layover in Doha, when an announcement signaled delays from the escalating hostilities.
