Canada’s foreign minister on Thursday called on G7 nations to jointly press for de-escalation in the Middle East and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that continued disruption risks further destabilizing global energy markets.
Anita Anand told AFP in an interview that she had spoken to all affected countries in the region and all G7 members "to ensure that we are all collectively advocating for de-escalation and for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and for a path forwards for the Iranian people that preserves their lives."
The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade waterway, has been virtually closed by Iranian forces in the Middle East war, leading to a spike in global energy prices.
"We must continue to use diplomatic channels to be sure there is a common view not just for a de-escalation but to mitigate the economic shock," said Anand, pointing to "problems in the global provisioning chain."
Making his first trip abroad since the war started, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will join fellow top diplomats from Canada, Germany, Italy, France, Japan and the United Kingdom for the G7 meeting, but only on the second day on Friday.
There is to be no final joint communique at the end of the meeting.
Instead, the G7 presidency, which is held this year by France, will issue a statement, a diplomatic source said, asking not to be named.
"For Canada, it's very important to have a de-escalation and an opening of the Strait of Hormuz and also to continue to avoid the loss of civilian lives, that is the objective of Canada here," said Anand.
"The G7 is a multilateral organisation and we will have the conversation here," she added.
Anand on Thursday also announced new sanctions on five Iranian individuals and four companies that Ottawa accuses of providing direct support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including by procuring high-tech goods needed for weapons production.
"Canada will continue to take concrete action to counter Iran's destabilizing activities," a foreign ministry statement said.
The new Canadian sanctions were announced days after the United States temporarily eased sanctions on Iranian oil shipments to stem a global supply crisis.
