Who Backs Iran and Israel? The Nations Fueling the Conflict Behind the Curtain

As tensions continue to rise between Iran and Israel, the world is left asking: Where does their power come from? While both nations boast formidable capabilities, much of their scientific and military strength is imported, not homegrown.

On one side, Iran is bolstered by:

1. Russia

2. China

3. North Korea

4. Pakistan

On the other side, Israel receives substantial backing from:

1. United States

2. Germany

3. United Kingdom

4. Canada

Canada?

Yes, Canada is the fourth largest provider of economic, technological and military support to Israel and cooperation with it.

While the traditional support of Israel by the US, UK, and Germany is well-known, that of Canada might be a bit surprising to many, as Canada is often a silent operator.

So, I will attempt to breakdown Canadian support to Israel across military, economic, and technological dimensions:

Military Support

• $18.9 million CAD worth of Canadian military goods were exported to Israel in 2024, including electronic equipment, explosive devices, drones, and related military technology.

• Several conservative analyses indicate that Canada issued $21 million CAD in new military export permits in early 2024, during the Gaza conflict, before a pause.

• Canada holds approximately $107.7 million CAD in active military export permits to Israel (as of mid‑2025), of which $13.2 million CAD has been shipped so far

These exports include non-lethal equipment, but also munitions like bombs, torpedoes, rockets, and explosive charges—all regulated under Canadian arms controls.

Economic Ties

• In 2022, two-way merchandise trade between Canada and Israel totaled approximately $2.1 billion CAD, with services trade at $427 million CAD.

• A long-standing free trade agreement (CIFTA) has been in place since 1997, covering numerous sectors, including agriculture, machinery, and medical goods, to foster robust commercial exchange.

Technological & Scientific Collaboration

• Canada and Israel maintain formal research partnerships via multiple Memoranda of Understanding (1992, 1994, 2006), backed by the Canada-Israel Industrial R&D Programme (CIIRD)

• Between 2013 and 2016, the Canadian government contributed up to $5 million CAD to the Canada-Israel Energy Science & Technology Fund, facilitating research and tech commercialization.

• Ongoing joint collaboration in science, innovation, and energy technologies is supported through federal and Québec-backed initiatives.

What this means!

As the global balance shifts, understanding these alliances is critical to grasping the full picture of Middle East tensions.