6 days ago
15
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.
The exercises were the second time in six months that President Cyril Ramaphosa appeared to be blindsided by his own military regarding relations with Tehran.
By John Eligon and Zimasa Matiwane
Reporting from Johannesburg
Jan. 28, 2026, 5:02 a.m. ET
Naval exercises held off the coast of South Africa have led to a new round of hostility between the country and the United States.
The exercises, held this month, were led by China and joined by members of the BRICS group of emerging economies, including South Africa, Russia and the United Arab Emirates. Two of the group’s original members, Brazil and India, did not participate.
As the weeklong exercises approached on Jan. 9, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa ordered his defense officials to ensure that Iran, which was scheduled to participate, was downgraded to observer status, according to his office.
But Tehran participated in the drills anyway, including in live-fire exercises that took place at the height of the mass demonstrations in Iran this month, during which thousands of protesters were killed.
Now, what allies of Mr. Ramaphosa had thought was an attempt to avoid agitating President Trump has become another setback in his country’s strained relationship with Washington.
After the exercises, the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria strongly rebuked the South African government, accusing it of “choosing to stand with a regime that brutally represses its people and engages in terrorism.”
