South Africa has launched an official investigation into whether its military defied President Cyril Ramaphosa’s orders during recent joint naval drills off Cape Town. The controversy centers on Iran’s participation, as the president reportedly instructed that Iranian warships only hold observer status to avoid straining relations with the United States. The US Embassy had earlier condemned South Africa for hosting Iranian forces amidst Tehran’s violent crackdown on domestic protests. Pretoria insists it maintains a non-aligned foreign policy and says the president’s instructions were communicated clearly, even as officials seek to determine whether they were misrepresented or ignored. The exercises, led by China under the BRICS alliance, also included Russian and Emirati vessels.
Associated Press
