US says South Africa is cozying up to Iran with naval drills

The US criticised South Africa for allowing Iran to participate in naval drills off the coast of Cape Town, after conflicting reports about the Islamic Republic’s involvement in the exercises.

Iran’s “inclusion in joint exercises – in any capacity – undermines maritime security and regional stability,” the US Embassy said in a post on X Thursday night. “South Africa can’t lecture the world on justice while cozying up to Iran.”

Warships from some members of the Brics group of developing nations, including Iran, Russia and China, arrived in South African waters last week for a naval exercise that continued until Friday.

Read: Chinese, Iranian and Russians in naval drills off SA coast

The statement is the latest US criticism of South Africa, whose relations with its second-biggest trading partner have been strained since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year. Pretoria’s ties to Iran are among the issues that have elicited anger in Washington.

Trump has threatened to attack Iran over a violent crackdown against protesters, and this week said the US will impose a 25% tariff on goods from countries “doing business” with the Islamic Republic.

South Africa is “following the developments in Iran with concern,” the presidency said in a statement on Thursday, calling on authorities in Tehran “to ensure that citizens exercise their right to protest in peace.”

While local news outlet News24 reported that Pretoria had persuaded Iran to withdraw from the war games, pictures on the South African National Defence Force’s Facebook page showed captains of participating vessels docked in the South African naval base in Simon’s Town, with Iranian officials present.

“The United States notes with concern and alarm reports that the Minister of Defense and SANDF defied a government order regarding Iran’s participation in the ongoing naval exercises,” the statement said.

Read: SA seeks delay of Russia-China war games during G20

South African Defense Minister Angie Motshekga said President Cyril Ramaphosa had issued clear instructions on how the drills should be conducted — which dealt with Iran’s participation in particular — and they had been clearly communicated.

A board of inquiry has been appointed to determine whether those instructions had been miscommunicated or ignored, and it had been instructed to report back within seven days, the defense ministry said in a statement on Friday.

© 2026 Bloomberg

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