Why South Africa is facing questions over Iran’s naval presence
South Africa is under scrutiny after Iranian naval vessels appeared in joint military exercises off its coast. raising concerns about how closely the country is following its own foreign policy and civilian oversight of the military.
At the centre of the controversy is the “Will for Peace 2026” naval exercise in False Bay, Western Cape, involving warships from China, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Iran.
South Africa’s presidency says President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered that Iran be asked to withdraw from the drills, but reports suggest Iranian ships remained in the area and were even shown as participating in parts of the exercise, the Citizen reports.
The situation has prompted questions about civilian control over the military after the Democratic Alliance (DA) called for an urgent parliamentary debate to clarify whether the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) ignored the president’s instruction. The DA says the apparent defiance, including a now-deleted SANDF statement listing Iranian vessels as active participants, undermines standard military accountability.
A Defence Minister Angie Motshekga says she communicated the president’s order and has appointed a board of inquiry to investigate whether it was ignored or misrepresented by defence officials. The investigation is expected to report back within a week of the drill’s end.
The presence of Iranian ships has also drawn criticism from the United States, whose embassy in Pretoria said reports that Iran participated in the exercises were of “concern and alarm,” warning that including Iranian forces described by some as a destabilising actor could undermine regional security and South Africa’s international reputation.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
