Naval Alliance: Russia, China, and Iran Conduct Joint Drills Near South Africa Amid U.S. Tensions

A Russian warship arrived near South Africa’s primary naval base on Friday to participate in military drills alongside Chinese and Iranian ships, an event that could further strain Pretoria’s relationship with Washington.

These maneuvers involve several nations at odds with the U.S. government and occur amid rising tensions following an American operation in Venezuela.

Earlier this week, a Chinese destroyer, a replenishment ship, and an Iranian logistical vessel entered South African waters in preparation for a week of exercises, which will officially begin with a ceremony on Saturday.

Journalists from AFP observed the Russian corvette sailing into False Bay near the Simon’s Town base.

China is the lead nation in the «Will for Peace 2026» exercise, which includes navies from the 11-member BRICS alliance of emerging economies that U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized as «anti-American.»

The South African navy announced it would provide further details about the participating vessels later on Friday.

Deputy Defense Minister Bantu Holomisa informed Newzroom Afrika television on Thursday that the United Arab Emirates was also anticipated to contribute ships to the exercises.

Additional BRICS nations such as Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Brazil will send observers, he added. The other members of this coalition are India, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.

According to South Africa’s defense force, the drills are intended to enable navies «to share best practices and enhance joint operational capabilities, contributing to the safety of shipping routes and overall regional maritime stability.»

In a separate development this week, Washington seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker that it claimed was part of a covert fleet transporting oil for countries like Venezuela, Russia, and Iran.

The U.S. has also threatened consequences for Iran if protesters are harmed during escalating demonstrations fueled by frustration over rising living costs.

When asked about the timing of these naval exercises, Holomisa remarked, «This exercise was arranged well before the tensions we are seeing today.»

«Let’s not act in a panic because the USA has issues with certain countries,» he stated. «These are not our adversaries,» he added.

Originally set for November 2025, the drills were postponed due to a scheduling conflict with the G20 summit in Johannesburg.

Washington chose to boycott the summit in response to disagreements with Pretoria, which include concerns over South Africa’s relationships with Russia and Iran.

Priyal Singh, a senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies, told AFP: «Washington has evidently been trying to put Pretoria in a difficult position since the start of the current Trump administration.»

«The circumstances surrounding the forthcoming naval exercise will likely be leveraged by Washington policymakers as another key illustration of why their bilateral relations with South Africa require reevaluation,» he concluded.