South Africa to probe Iran's role in war games that angered US
South Africa's defence minister has ordered an inquiry into reports of Iran's participation in navy exercises, apparently against the instructions of the president, the ministry said Friday.
The probe comes after the United States sharply criticised the past week's drills, which brought vessels from China, Iran, Russia and the United Arab Emirates to waters off Cape Town.
Local media reported President Cyril Ramaphosa had instructed the defence minister to withdraw the three Iranian warships from the drills, which came amid the Iranian government's deadly crackdown on protesters.
It was unclear to what extent Iran took part, but images emerged of at least one Iranian vessel at sea.
A defence ministry statement on social media on Tuesday listed an Iranian corvette as among the participants, but the post was later removed.
Defence Minister Angie Motshekga had "clearly communicated" the president's instruction, the defence ministry said in a statement that did not make clear the president's order, which was also not confirmed by his office.
A board of inquiry would investigate "whether the instruction of the president may have been misrepresented and/or ignored", it said.
The defence force said the China-led exercises of nations in the BRICS alliance were to "ensure the safety of shipping lanes and maritime economic activities".
The US embassy on Thursday criticised Iran's presence as "particularly unconscionable" given the protest crackdown, which independent monitors say left thousands dead.
The exercises involved nations with major diplomatic differences with the United States, at a time when Pretoria is seeking to improve its battered ties with Washington.
US President Donald Trump's administration has accused South Africa of anti-American policies and boycotted a G20 summit it hosted in November, also imposing 30-percent trade tariffs.
In August, Ramaphosa's office rebuked the defence force for allowing the country's top general to visit Iran, where he reportedly called for cooperation in defence matters.
The visit was unhelpful as South Africa managed "a very delicate exercise of resetting diplomatic relations with the United States", a spokesman said.
