Hub Podcasts Why Iranian Canadians are holding their collective breath
Mar 4, 2026
Kaveh Shahrooz, lawyer and human rights activist who advised Global Affairs Canada, breaks down Iran’s recent strikes and the widening regional conflict. He discusses the scale of retaliation, the fallout from Khamenei’s assassination for Iranian Canadians, Canada’s muddled policy response, and differing U.S. and Israeli aims. Short, direct takes on regime ideology and regional implications.
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Conflict Rapidly Expanded Across The Region
- The conflict quickly expanded beyond Israel and the U.S. to hit regional targets like oil fields, refineries, an Amazon data centre, and attempted strikes near Turkey.
- Kaveh Shahrooz says Iran aimed to absorb blows while imposing regional pain to pressure states to push the U.S. toward negotiations, with mixed effectiveness.
Khamenei's Death Feels Like A Turning Point For Iranian Canadians
- Many Iranian Canadians celebrated Ayatollah Khamenei's killing as the death of a long-standing dictator and a turning point for Iran's future.
- Kaveh Shahrooz notes Khamenei strengthened the IRGC and outlived rivals, so his death signals a potential fundamental shift in the Islamic Republic.
Canada's Response Looked Muddled And Tentative
- Canada's public statements appeared inconsistent: initial support for U.S.-Israel strikes was then walked back by ministers, producing a muddled policy posture.
- Shahrooz attributes this to balancing U.S., European, and domestic pressures and internal party pushback.