South Africa probes Iran's role in BRICS+ naval drills

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 16 (Reuters) – South Africa’s defence ministry said on Friday that Minister Angie Motshekga had launched an inquiry into Iran’s participation in the BRICS+ naval exercises held in South African waters over the past week.

The defence ministry said in a statement that the inquiry would seek to determine whether South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s instructions regarding Iran’s involvement were misrepresented and/or ignored.

South African news outlet Daily Maverick has reported that Ramaphosa sought to get Iran to withdraw from the drills due to concerns about the damage its participation could do to South Africa’s relations with the United States.

“The Minister of Defence, Hon. Angie Motshekga, would like to place it on record that the instruction (from Ramaphosa) was clearly communicated to all parties concerned, agreed upon and to be implemented and adhered to,” the defence ministry statement added.

(Reporting by Wendell Roelf and Sfundo Parakozov;Editing by Alexander Winning)