Chinese and Iranian Warships Arrive in South Africa for Naval Drills as Ramaphosa Risks US Backlash

Warships from China and Iran have arrived in South African waters ahead of a multinational naval exercise that is already raising diplomatic concerns, particularly in the United States.

The exercise, dubbed Will for Peace 2026, is scheduled to run from January 9 to January 16 and places South Africa at the centre of renewed global scrutiny over its foreign policy alignment. China is leading the drills, which the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) says are aimed at strengthening naval cooperation and safeguarding key maritime trade routes.

While the SANDF has not yet released a full list of participating countries, the presence of Chinese, Iranian and Russian-linked vessels has been confirmed through official statements and ship sightings. Earlier this week, a Chinese destroyer docked at the Simon’s Town naval base. Social media images have also shown a Russian frigate and a supply vessel moving south along Africa’s west coast toward Cape Town.

On Thursday, January 8, the IRIS Makran, a large Iranian forward base ship that functions as a mobile logistics and command platform, was sighted near Simon’s Town. Its presence has drawn particular attention given Iran’s strained relations with the West and ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

The drills come at a sensitive time for South Africa’s international relations. Since US President Donald Trump returned to office nearly a year ago, ties between Pretoria and Washington have remained uneasy. South Africa’s engagement with Iran and its growing role within the BRICS bloc have been recurring points of friction.

Trump has repeatedly criticised BRICS nations, accusing them of advancing policies that undermine American interests. This is not the first time South Africa’s naval diplomacy has drawn Western criticism. In 2023, Pretoria faced strong backlash from the United States and the European Union after hosting BRICS naval exercises that coincided with the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

At home, opposition parties have also voiced alarm. The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s second-largest political party, warned that involving Russia and Iran contradicts the government’s stated position of non-alignment.

DA defence spokesperson Chris Hattingh said South Africa’s foreign and defence policy should not be reshaped through military exercises that risk damaging the country’s global standing and undermining claims of neutrality.

South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation declined to comment on the drills, referring media queries to the defence force. A military briefing is expected later this week to outline the scope of the exercise and confirm all participating countries.

For observers in Africa and beyond, the naval drills underscore South Africa’s increasingly delicate balancing act—deepening strategic ties within the Global South while trying to preserve long-standing economic and diplomatic relationships with Western powers.