- January 10, 2026
- 12:38 pm
- World News
Off the coast of South Africa, multinational naval exercises have begun, involving ships from China, Russia, Iran, South Africa, and the UAE. The maneuvers are taking place in the area of Cape Town and the Simon’s Town naval base and have immediately caused political resonance due to the composition of participants and timing.
According to reports in Israeli and international media, Russia sent the corvette “Stoiky”, Iran sent its warships, and China sent two vessels. Officially, the exercises are described as practicing maritime interaction and shipping security tasks, but their participants and geography make them part of a larger foreign policy game.
The timing is also read as a signal: the drills are taking place in mid-January, in a zone where important maritime routes pass and where any flag demonstration instantly becomes a topic for diplomatic comments.
Why this irritates Washington
Criticism from the US and Western partners is primarily related to the fact that Russia and Iran remain under sanction pressure and are viewed by the West as sources of regional instability. Against this backdrop, South Africa’s participation is perceived as a political gesture, even if Pretoria insists on a neutral interpretation.
On one hand, South Africa tries to maintain working relations with the US as an important trading partner. On the other hand, it remains an active player in BRICS and expanded formats around it. This balance is now being tested for strength again.
Internal politics of South Africa: debate on “neutrality”
In South Africa itself, the opposition publicly expresses concern that the participation of Russia and Iran in such maneuvers undermines the government’s statement of neutrality and complicates communication with Western allies.
This debate is not theoretical: the issue touches on the economy, external markets, investments, and how much South Africa is willing to pay a political price for a closer game on the side of BRICS.
Attempt to “quiet Iran down”
A separate nerve is Iran. South African publications indicate that Pretoria tried to persuade Tehran to limit participation to a more restrained format to avoid provoking an additional international scandal.
The reason is clear: Iran remains a toxic partner for the West and a figure around which issues of sanctions, protests, and regional conflicts constantly flare up.
Iran and demonstration of capabilities
For Tehran, such exercises are not just a “joint training” but a way to show that it can operate far from its shores and is not isolated. Against the backdrop of previous Iranian maneuvers and statements about the fleet’s capabilities, this element of “public presence” looks like a deliberate strategy.
Russia in this scheme gains its effect: a demonstration that it still has partners and that joint projects with Iran and China continue even under sanctions pressure.
What this changes
South Africa finds itself at the crossroads of interests: trade with the West, participation in BRICS, and the role of a regional power are all important. Therefore, the exercises off Cape Town are not just about the sea and ships but a test of where Pretoria’s foreign policy center of gravity is actually shifting.
If tensions between the US and the expanded BRICS grow, such maneuvers will repeat and each time turn into a political debate — with consequences for diplomacy and the economy.
This is why stories about how Iran, Russia, and China are strengthening joint demonstrations of force far from their borders are important to track regularly — as NANews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency does.
