The United States and Iran are at a possible precipice of renewed conflict as U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he had canceled "all meetings" with Iranian officials, while the Iranian military vowed stronger response against any new act of aggression.
In a morning post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump urged Iranians to keep protesting, and said "help is on its way." But he did not offer any details.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that diplomacy remains the preferred approach for the United States to deal with Iran, though the Trump administration will not rule out military options if necessary.
Furthermore, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Tuesday that the U.S. military and its regional partners had opened a new air defense operations cell at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar to enhance integrated air and missile defense.
The Al Udeid Air Base was previously targeted by Iranian missiles in a retaliatory attack last June following U.S. strikes on Tehran's nuclear facilities. The base is the largest military installation of the United States in the Middle East.
CENTCOM said the new cell is made up of personnel from the U.S. and its regional partners, and will be responsible for planning multinational exercises, conducting drills, responding to contingencies, and sharing information and threat warnings.
In its response, the Iranian military said on Tuesday that its troops had significantly improved their abilities in tackling security threats after experiencing Israel's 12-day war against the country last June, vowing stronger counterattacks against any aggression.
Iran's Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic will respond more decisively to any new act of aggression.
Regarding the latest threats made by the U.S. president and several White House officials, Nasirzadeh said that if the threats are turned into actions, Iran will defend itself with full force, and that the countries providing assistance to the United States will become legitimate targets.
Trump cancels meetings with Iranian officials, Iranian military vows stronger response against aggression
Residents living in Canada's biggest city of Toronto have expressed optimism that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's official visit to China can unlock new economic opportunities, particularly in key fields such as artificial intelligence and infrastructure.
Carney is set to arrive in China on Wednesday to begin a four-day visit at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, marking the first trip by a Canadian prime minister to China since 2017.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson confirmed Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with Carney during his stay to provide new strategic guidance for further improving and developing China-Canada relations.
Giving their assessment of the significance of the visit and the outcomes they hope to see achieved, local people in Toronto pointed to the importance of deepening cooperation and view the high-tech sector as one of the most pivotal areas where ties can be enhanced.
"I think, of course, China is probably the leader in AI and new technologies. So, I think Canada can really benefit from Chinese expertise on some of the chip manufacturing or just the use of AI in the medical field, in every other finance field and everything. So, I think this can be very important for Canada to learn from China," said Raman, the provincial liaison manager at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
"I think it is a good idea to strengthen relations with other countries and other trade partners that have been probably more consistent. And especially with things going on in electronics right now and chip manufacturing, I do think that it makes sense at this point in time to be reaching out to China," said Jen, a local nurse.
Some see Carney's visit as an opportunity to broaden the economic agenda in various other key areas.
"I'm actually pretty looking forward to it because they could talk a lot about trade. That could be a good opportunity for Canada and China to explore some other export opportunities on energy, and also, maybe pipeline building, infrastructure building, and also, real estate investment and agriculture," said Xiong Lulu, an equity research analyst.
Looking ahead, many residents emphasize that much depends on whether Carney's visit can translate into concrete agreements.
"It would be nice. I hope there's some kind of good relationship between China and Canada. That would be like a great opportunity that we would miss if we didn't create that relationship with them. So, hopefully, in hindsight, [in] 2026 it does happen," said John, a software developer.
"I think if they can settle some trade deals, that will be great. So, I think it will be great for the Canadian economy," said Xiong.
President Xi and Carney last met on the sidelines of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in the Republic of Korea (ROK) in October, with both sides agreeing to resume exchanges and cooperation in various fields and jointly advance the development of the China-Canada strategic partnership.
Toronto residents optimistic about Canada-China cooperation prospects
