South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Pretoria raised concerns with China over Iran’s participation in recent Chinese led naval exercises held in South African waters.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Ramaphosa said the drills were organised and led by China, with South Africa acting only as the host. He added that Beijing was responsible for inviting participating countries, prompting Pretoria to formally express its unease over Iran’s involvement.
“We raised the issue of Iran and said it would be best if they withdrew and did not participate,” Ramaphosa said, noting that the matter was communicated directly to Chinese officials.
He confirmed that South Africa has since established a board of inquiry to review the exercises, following consultations that highlighted the need for greater clarity on how the drills were conducted and how authorities should respond.
“This is an issue that defence officials and the government are currently dealing with in detail,” Ramaphosa said, adding that the administration prefers to examine all aspects carefully before making public statements.
The naval exercises took place amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran, alongside growing international concern over unrest inside Iran. Washington last week criticised South Africa for allowing Iranian forces to take part, warning that the move could undermine regional security, according to media.
South Africa’s defence authorities previously said they had clearly communicated the president’s instructions regarding Iran’s participation and launched an inquiry to determine whether those directives were misrepresented or ignored.