As the strikes on Iran entered the ninth day, around 1,000 Iranians gathered on Parliament Hill on Sunday afternoon and marched towards the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa,
chanting praise towards the U.S. and Israeli governments
.
The majority of ralliers out on March 8 also waved the lion and sun flag, a symbol of resistance against the Iranian regime.
Ralliers also called on Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s exiled crown prince, to become the country’s next leader. Many held signs with Pahlavi’s face, and chants like, “This is the final battle, Pahlavi will return,” echoed throughout downtown Ottawa.
Some even wore red caps and held signs that said, “Make Iran Great Again.”
Dozens of police officers were stationed along Wellington Street, including undercover plainclothes officers.
While there were
rumours of a counter-protest
, an officer with the Parliamentary Protective Service told the Ottawa Citizen there were no credible sources that confirmed one was planned.
Last week, the RCMP and the Ottawa Police Service posted on social media that there will be increased security at embassies and religious institutions as officers monitor the situation in Iran.
The rally came after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior government officials.
Iran also launched retaliatory strikes on U.S. army bases in the Middle Eastern region.
The Associated Press reported Sunday
that the death toll from the conflict continues to rise, with around 1,230 people in Iran, more than 290 people in Lebanon and dozens in Israel killed.
Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters on Wednesday, March 4
that Canada will “defend our allies” when it comes to the war in Iran and did not rule out future military operations.
He also stood by his decision to not call for de-escalation in hostilities when he initially threw Canada’s support behind the attack by the U.S. and Israel, with he and his ministers spending the days since emphasizing they would like to see tensions lowered.
“In terms of war, there are likelihoods, there are possibilities, you have to plan for the worst, but there are no certainties in conflict,” he told reporters outside of the parliament in Australia.
In an update sent to press on Sunday, federal officials said around 3,152 Canadians in Iran were registered with Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and they’ve received 440 requests for consular assistance along with 220 requests for assistance to depart the region.
Around 24,101 Canadians in Lebanon were also registered with GAC, and officials said they’ve received 784 requests for consular assistance and 398 requests for assistance to depart the region.
In Israel, around 6,078 Canadians were registered with GAC, and the department received 298 requests for consular assistance and 192 requests for assistance to leave the region.
However, GAC said those numbers may be higher because registration is completely voluntary, and they may include people who have already left the region without updating their profiles.
Canadians are advised to avoid all travel to Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel and Palestine, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) and Yemen. They are also advised to avoid non-essential travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
— With files from Stephanie Taylor
Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed.
