Anand, McGuinty seek deeper security, investment ties in Persian Gulf amid Iran war

OTTAWA – Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand arrived Tuesday in the Persian Gulf, a region where Canada is aiming to strengthen ties on defence and security amid an uptick in visits and investment deals.

Also this week, Defence Minister David McGuinty is visiting Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, to talk about how Canada fits into regional security.

The visits come as the U.S. war on Iran continues to impact the Middle East and international energy markets. Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran for a ceasefire appeared to be at a standstill on Tuesday.

Tehran has attacked neighbouring countries since Washington and Israel started bombing Iran in February.

“Part of the reason I’m going is, again, to show solidarity with these countries in the face of those retaliatory attacks,” Anand told The Canadian Press, before leaving on the trip.

“As a very close partner with Gulf countries, I’ll be working on that bilateral relationship with the two countries I’m visiting, ensuring we have a strong economic and broader partnerships right across the board.”

A news release says Anand will meet with her counterpart in Oman to “discuss potential defence and economic co-operation that aligns Canadian expertise with the priorities of Oman Vision 2040,” the country’s diversification plan that aims to make the country less reliant on oil.

Anand will then travel to meet with her counterpart in Qatar to build on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Doha in January. 

“Anand will focus on advancing trade and investment, security and expanding people-to-people ties,” the news release reads.

The region has long been known for its wealthy investment funds and dire human rights records, but it has taken on increasing geopolitical heft.

Oman and Qatar have been key players in attempts to broker peace in the region, including between the U.S. and Iran, and between Israel and Hamas.

A critical priority now is reviving cargo shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, the water body connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Oman. Iran has blocked most shipments through the strait, which typically carries one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas, as well as large amount of fertilizer that poorer countries rely on. 

Canada has talked about possibly joining a coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz if a viable ceasefire comes into force, to allow for shipments to resume.

Anand said Canada is trying to form closer ties not just for investment, but in shared objectives for a more stable world and the protection of civilians. She said this visit will be her third trip to the Persian Gulf in 2026, underlining how much emphasis the Carney government has put on the region.

Anand added that she will also raise Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including ways to reunify more children abducted by Moscow with their families in Ukraine.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 12, 2026.

— with files from The Associated Press