The influence of Donald Trump’s hardline foreign policy appears to be shaping decisions within the Brics grouping, a bloc that the US President has openly criticised since returning to office. In a move that remained largely out of public view, South Africa reportedly urged Iran to either reduce its role or withdraw entirely from a Brics naval exercise being held off its coastline. The request followed Trump’s warning to countries maintaining ties with Iran at a time when the Islamic Republic is facing widespread anti-government protests and intense international scrutiny. Despite this, Tehran appears to have resisted the pressure, dispatching a warship to take part in the exercise, a development that has placed South Africa in an awkward diplomatic position.
The naval drill, named “Will for Peace,” is being hosted by China and marks the first multilateral military exercise conducted under the Brics banner. The exercise has already drawn criticism from Western countries, which have questioned why a grouping originally conceived as an economic alliance has ventured into military cooperation. Iran’s participation has further heightened tensions, particularly because it joined Brics only in 2024 and remains heavily sanctioned. India, notably, chose not to participate in the exercise, signalling its own caution around the optics and implications of such a drill.
Iran’s involvement has been especially contentious. Last week, Tehran sent three warships to the exercise, which began on January 13 near Cape Town. One of these vessels belongs to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an organisation that has been central to the violent suppression of protests inside Iran, where more than 2,000 people are reported to have been killed. The IRGC is already under extensive Western sanctions, making its presence in a Brics exercise particularly sensitive.
With Trump threatening tariffs against countries that continue engaging with Iran and US–South Africa relations already at a low point, Pretoria appeared to soften its stance. According to a report by The Business Insider, South Africa quietly asked Iran to step back from the drill. Initially, Iran seemed to comply by agreeing to participate only as an observer, with expectations that its ships would withdraw from active operations.
That understanding, however, appeared to unravel. On Tuesday, an Iranian warship was reportedly seen heading out to sea alongside vessels from Russia, China, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, all members of the expanded Brics+ grouping. This move was widely interpreted as Iran defying Western efforts to isolate it amid ongoing domestic unrest. Adding to the confusion, South Africa’s military initially confirmed Iran’s participation in a social media post, only to delete the statement later. From the outset, the exercise has been shrouded in secrecy, with South Africa releasing minimal information and repeatedly postponing media briefings. Even China, while announcing the commencement of the drill, avoided explicitly naming Iran.
South Africa’s Deputy Defence Minister Bantu Holomisa has publicly downplayed the controversy, insisting that the exercise is not directed against any specific country and describing it as necessary given rising maritime tensions globally. He dismissed concerns over US objections, arguing that South Africa should not view Washington’s rivals as its own enemies.
Despite these reassurances, Pretoria’s discreet manoeuvring highlights its strategic dilemma. South Africa finds itself caught between honouring its commitments to Brics partners and avoiding actions that could further antagonise the Trump administration. The country has already been hit with a 30% tariff by the US, with Trump accusing President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government of failing to protect South Africa’s white minority. At the same time, South Africa is engaged in sensitive trade negotiations with Washington, making it wary of any move that could jeopardise those talks.
The decision to keep the naval exercise low-profile is widely seen as an attempt to limit diplomatic fallout. Earlier this month, US Senator Jim Risch criticised South Africa’s role in hosting the drill, calling it evidence of “open hostility” towards the United States. He argued that South Africa claims non-alignment while simultaneously conducting military exercises with Washington’s principal adversaries.
Against this backdrop, South Africa’s request for Iran to step back appears to have been a calculated effort to balance competing pressures. The move may even have yielded some benefit. On Wednesday, the US approved a bill to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act for another three years, extending preferential, duty-free access to the American market for eligible African countries.
