Iran’s controversial participation in a naval exercise in South African waters is reportedly being pinned on navy boss Vice-Admiral Monde Lobese.
Defence minister Angie Motshekga on Friday established a board of inquiry to investigate Iran’s involvement, after The Presidency confirmed an instruction was given to halt its participation.
Exercise Will For Peace 2026 came at an inopportune time for South Africa, with the Iranian government responding with deadly force to anti-regime protests in the country.
‘Acting maliciously’
The vice-admiral allegedly addressed the Iranian issue with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) while the foreign navies were en route to Simon’s Town, reported the Sunday Times.
Lobese allegedly wrote a letter to Dirco stating that Iran’s participation in the exercise had received high-level approval.
However, Motshekga stated on Friday that an instruction was later given to all parties that Iran should only be observers of the naval drill.
A minister close to President Cyril Ramphosa relayed how the president reacted angrily to the ignoring of his instructions, with the source questioning the vice-admiral’s intentions.
“Lobese wants to cause a crisis for the country. The question here is, has he not gone rogue? We must ask whether he is not acting maliciously against the interest of the country,” the minister told the Sunday Times.
The minister added that Iran announcing their participation without South Africa’s consent was another sticking point.
“You don’t do that. You don’t announce such things before the host country. America has now put us on a watchlist because of this,” the source said.
Instructions ‘clearly communicated’
The United States embassy on Thursday rebuked South Africa for hosting the Iranians while protestors were being killed in Tehran and other cities.
“Iran is a destabilizing actor and state sponsor of terror, and its inclusion in joint exercises, in any capacity, undermines maritime security and regional stability,” the embassy stated on X.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya explained to The Citizen that as the nation leading the naval drills, China were responsible for the invites.
“It is important to first note that these navy drills were facilitated and led by China, not South Africa. The invitations to participating Brics countries were managed by China. South Africa agreed to participate and to the use of its waters,” Magwenya said.
Motshekga has given the board of inquiry seven days from the conclusion of the exercise to compile a report on issue, with the defence ministry stressing their position.
“The Minister would like to place it on record that the instruction was clearly communicated to all parties concerned, agreed upon and to be implemented and adhered to as such,” the ministry stated.
*Additional reporting by Faizel Patel
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