MUMBAI, India - Canada has backed the military operation, launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on Saturday. The operation has killed dozens of IRGC officers, including its commander; nuclear scientists, and leading political figures including the minister of defence, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"Canada's position remains clear: the Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East, has one of the world's worst human rights records, and must never be allowed to obtain or develop nuclear weapons," Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, said in a joint statement with Foreign Minister Anita Anand, in Mumbai on Saturday, where the pair are leading a trade delegation. 

"Canada and our international partners have consistently called upon the Iranian regime to end its nuclear program, including at the 2025 G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis and with the United Nations' reimposition of sanctions in September."

"Despite diplomatic efforts, Iran has neither fully dismantled its nuclear program, halted all enrichment activities, nor ended its support for regional terrorist proxy groups," Carney said. 

"Canada stands with the Iranian people in their long and courageous struggle against Iran's oppressive regime," Carney said. "Canada has listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity, and has sanctioned 256 Iranian entities and 222 individuals in response to the regime's repression and its violence both against its own people, and persistently, beyond its borders. Canada reaffirms Israel's right to defend itself and to ensure the security of its people."

"Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security." the Carney/Anand statement said.

U.S. intelligence has confirmed Iran is not developing nuclear weapons.

File photo.