Chinese-Led South African Naval Exercise Slides into Diplomatic Disaster
The Chinese-led BRICs Exercise "Will for Peace 2026," now taking place in Cape Town, is turning into a diplomatic disaster for its host South Africa.
Alongside participants from Russia, China, and the United Arab Emirates, three Iranian warships arrived in False Bay to participate in the exercise, with the Bayandor Class corvette IRINS Naghdi (F82) coming alongside in the Simon’s Town Naval Base, and two converted oil tankers now serving as logistics vessels - IRINS Makran (K441) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (Nedsa, IRIS Shahid Mahdavi (L110-3) anchoring off in False Bay. Iranian personnel took part in dockside parades and inter-Navy sports events which occupied the first two days of the exercise.
But before the sea-going phase of the exercise commenced on January 13, the South African government requested that the Iranians withdraw their active participation from the exercise and become observers instead, a request to which the Iranian acceded.
The Iranian Navy corvette IRINS Naghdi (F82) alongside, with a South African diesel-electric attack Heroine Class Type 209 submarine behind (Screengrab from Times New World)
The South African move was prompted by the realization at this late stage, that diplomatically it did not look good to be aligned with an Iranian regime which by some estimates has now killed 12,000 of its own citizens in anti-government riots. The South Africans also realized that its highly favorable trade position under the African Growth and Opportunity Act was in jeopardy, with the Act is coming before the U.S. House of Representatives this week for its scheduled three-year renewal.
These dangers were already apparent back in September, when The Maritime Executive noted that South African Chief of Staff General Rudzani Maphwanya had visited Tehran to issue an invitation to the exercise, a visit not apparently approved beforehand by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. President Ramaphosa objected to the visit, but did not fire the General for his freelancing in the political arena. Political opponents of the President said at the time that his response was weak, exceedingly so as events have turned out.
Observers are now watching the Simon’s Town Naval Base to see when the Iranian naval vessels depart – and in which direction. There is still some mystery concerning the whereabouts of the Iranian Navy’s 104th Flotilla and the Navy’s force of frigates, which are at sea somewhere. Since most ships of the Navy left Bandar Abbas Naval Harbor on about January 8, the internal security situation in Bandar Abbas city has deteriorated, with one large protest in particular occurring close to the Naval Harbor.
The aim of Exercise "Will for Peace 2026," a highly inappropriate name for a naval exercise given the character of its participants, is to practice naval drills supporting the protection of commercial shipping in shipping lanes, including counter-terrorism rescue, counter-boarding and maritime strike operations. The exercise is scheduled to last until January 16, and is the first naval exercise to be held under the auspices of BRICS, hitherto seen as an economic bloc. The exercise director is from the PLAN.
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Nedaja forward base ship IRINS Makran (K441) and PLAN replenishment ship CNS Taihu (K889) approaching Simon’s Town, January 9 (Screen grab from Sharjah TV)
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