Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday said he saw the deal between the US and Iran and called it a “game changer.”
“I have to say it has exceeded my expectations. We’re very pleased with the deal that’s been struck,” Carney told CNN on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the US and Iran electronically on Sunday, which includes an end to the military operations on all fronts and reopening the Strait of Hormuz while setting the stage for talks on Iran’s nuclear program linked to sanctions relief. The signing ceremony is scheduled for June 19 in Switzerland.
The deal, which has not yet been released publicly, outlines an initial ceasefire and calls for the immediate lifting of the naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Well, I’ve seen the agreement. We have our sources, just like you,” Carney said, when asked whether President Donald Trump showed the deal to him.
“It is a reasonable length for an agreement, which is in effect. It is a cessation of hostilities. It’s a ceasefire for that 60-day period… So, I think it’s well-structured from our perspective… Again, it’s well-structured. I actually think, yeah, I think it’s a game changer,” Carney said.
Citing the deal, Carney said Iran will not develop or procure a nuclear weapon. “That’s at the heart of the deal,” he said.
When asked whether Canada plans to help with opening the Strait of Hormuz, Carney said his country will help “as we can.”
“We were not a big regional naval power. We have some assets that we can help with this. We can do some stuff on monitoring, but importantly, we can do things on the financial side… because remember, there are assets that are being unfrozen,” he added.
