The US condemns South Africa for allowing Iran in naval exercises, calling it a threat to regional stability.
The United States has expressed alarm over reports that South Africa’s Minister of Defense and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) ignored a government directive concerning Iran’s involvement in ongoing naval exercises.
In a statement posted on its official Twitter handle, @USEmbassySA, the US described Iran as a “destabilising actor and state sponsor of terror,” adding that its participation in joint exercises “undermines maritime security and regional stability.”
The statement further criticised South Africa for hosting Iranian security forces, noting that Iran continues “shooting, jailing, and torturing Iranian citizens engaging in peaceful political activity South Africans fought so hard to gain for themselves.”
The US concluded by saying: “South Africa can’t lecture the world on ‘justice’ while cozying up to Iran.”