By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider

The United States Embassy to South Africa has criticized the South African military for allowing
Iran to join the Naval exercises in False Bay. The US embassy has labelled Iran as a “state
sponsor of terror”, as they have also expressed that the move defied regional stability.

According to the US embassy in Pretoria, the South African Minister of Defence Angie
Motshekga as well as the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) had undermined
orders from the government of South Africa that Iran does not have the authority to participate in
the joint naval exercises that took place this week in False Bay.

“Iran is a destabilizing actor and state sponsor of terror, and its inclusion in joint exercises, in
any capacity, undermines maritime security and regional stability” the US embassy in Pretoria
wrote on X.

“It is particularly unconscionable that South Africa welcomed Iranian security forces as they
were shooting, jailing and torturing Iranian citizens engaging in peaceful political activity South
Africans fought so hard to gain for themselves. South Africa can’t lecture the world on justice
while cosying up to Iran” the embassy said further.

“And permitting Iranian military forces to operate in South African waters, or going to Tehran
and expressing solidarity isn’t non-alignment; it’s choosing to stand with a regime that brutally
represses its people and engages in terrorism” the embassy said.

Last year Chief of the SANDF, General Rudzani Maphwanya had expressed support of Iran,
which is what the US embassy is referring to and completely condemn.

South Africa had already felt weary over Iran’s involvement in the joint naval exercise as this
would surely put further strain on their relations with the United States and would jeopardise the
hopes of being included in the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

The government of South Africa had felt that the Military drills and Iran’s involvement was
poorly timed, especially since they are silencing their protestors back in their homeland. The
SANDF have not given further explanation over their decision to allow Iran to conduct Military
drills in South African waters and even cancelled a press briefing in regards to the drills
conducted in False Bay.