A significant diplomatic rift has emerged between the United States and South Africa following allegations that the South African defense establishment disregarded direct governmental instructions to expel Iranian warships participating in naval exercises in its territorial waters. The U.S. Embassy in Pretoria issued a sharply critical statement, asserting that South Africa’s military leadership had defied orders from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration to request the departure of the Iranian vessels. The statement condemned South Africa’s engagement with Iran, particularly during a period of severe internal repression within the Middle Eastern nation, labeling the partnership ‘unconscionable’ and a threat to regional maritime security.
The week-long ‘Peace Resolve’ naval drills, orchestrated by China and involving members of the expanded BRICS+ alliance—including Russia, Iran, and other nations—commenced last Friday. This military exercise represents a strategic initiative by the coalition of major developing economies to counterbalance Western geopolitical and economic dominance. The controversy erupted when reports indicated that Iranian ships had already docked in Cape Town as the purported order for their turnaround was issued.
In response to the U.S. accusations, South Africa’s Defense Ministry announced it would launch a formal inquiry to investigate these ‘serious allegations.’ Defense Minister Angie Motshekga’s office, however, stated that the president’s directives had been ‘clearly communicated to all parties concerned, agreed upon, and to be implemented.’
Analysts like University of Witwatersrand Associate Professor William Gumede highlighted the perceived hypocrisy, noting the African National Congress (ANC) government’s silence on Iran’s human rights abuses despite its frequent critiques of other regimes. The U.S. statement further drew parallels between Iran’s suppression of protests and the democratic freedoms for which South Africans historically fought, intensifying the diplomatic friction.