Flags adorn the ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel plant as trade tensions escalate over U.S. tariffs and retaliatory measures by Canada in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Aug. 24, 2026.
Carlos Osorio | Reuters
Iran has accused Canada of supporting U.S. actions in the Strait of Hormuz, calling Ottawa’s move “an expression of strategic confusion and submission to intimidation.”
In a post on X, Tehran Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghai said Canada chose to “appease” the United States “on the very day that the President of the United States openly disrespected Canada’s sovereignty and independence and depicted all of Canada as part of the United States.”
Bagai was referring to a post by US President Donald Trump on Monday indicating that US territory extends to Canada, Greenland and Iceland.
President Trump, entering his second term, has repeatedly talked about making Canada the 51st U.S. state and annexing Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory from Denmark.
Baghai’s comments came after Canada condemned Iran’s “destabilizing actions” in the Middle East and said it would work with partners to maintain significant pressure on Iran, including through sanctions and support for efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz led by the United States, France and the United Kingdom.
“Canada cannot credibly present itself as a defender of ‘peace and security,’ ‘freedom of navigation,’ and ‘international law,’ while at the same time supporting U.S. military aggression and illegal and interventionist actions by the United States in our region,” Bagai said.
“This is not ‘diplomacy’ or ‘responsible national strategy.’ This is a choice that…cannot even protect itself from U.S. bullying and aggression,” Baggaei said.
He questioned why Mr. Ottawa chose to support Washington, even though he had experienced what he called “American malice” and knew that America’s signature was “written in pencil.”
Trade talks between Ottawa and Washington collapsed last month, with Prime Minister Mark Carney saying the U.S. demands went too far. “They asked for too much and offered too little,” he said.
The move imposes tariffs on about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, and Canada has also imposed “dollar-for-dollar” retaliatory tariffs, scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on Tuesday.
Iran is also targeting other US allies such as South Korea. Bagay posted on X in Korean on Monday, warning the South Korean government about possible military involvement and support for a U.S. “invasion.”
South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reportedly said over the weekend that it was “in close contact with relevant countries to restore peace and stability in the Middle East as soon as possible.”
According to Reuters, the South Korean government announced last week that it was considering options, including military measures, to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Other countries that maintain a military presence or participate in (US) operations in the Persian Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz can only be considered as directly supporting the perpetrators of aggression, which will have serious consequences,” Baghai wrote.
