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South Africa’s defence minister has ordered an inquiry into reports that Iran took part in recent naval exercises, allegedly in defiance of instructions from President Cyril Ramaphosa, the defence ministry said on Friday.
The probe follows sharp criticism from the United States over the week-long drills off the coast of Cape Town, which involved naval vessels from China, Iran, Russia and the United Arab Emirates.
Local media reported that Ramaphosa had directed Defence Minister Angie Motshekga to withdraw three Iranian warships from the exercises following Iran’s deadly crackdown on protesters.
However, the extent of Iran’s participation remained unclear, although images surfaced showing at least one Iranian vessel at sea.
The defence ministry acknowledged that the president’s directive had been communicated and said a board of inquiry would examine whether the instruction was misrepresented or ignored.
A social media post by the ministry listing an Iranian corvette among the participants was later deleted.
The South African National Defence Force said the China-led activities, involving BRICS countries, were aimed at safeguarding shipping lanes and maritime economic activities.
The US embassy on Thursday described Iran’s involvement as unacceptable in light of the protest crackdown, which independent monitors say left thousands dead.
The controversy comes as Pretoria seeks to repair strained relations with Washington, which has accused South Africa of anti-American policies, boycotted a G20 summit hosted by the country and imposed steep trade tariffs
