The arrival of Chinese and Russian warships in January in False Bay port just south of Cape Town would have already been enough to unsettle some of South Africa's partners. But it is the arrival of Iranian vessels, such as the corvette Naghdi, that has fueled anger abroad – and sparked confusion at the highest levels of the South African government.
Originally, the maneuvers were presented as a joint exercise by BRICS+ – the grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, which expanded in 2024 and 2025 to include Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Ethiopia and, notably, Iran. Held from January 9 to 16, at the height of a crackdown on protesters in Iranian cities, the drills ultimately brought together only a handful of BRICS+ members: China led the operation, South Africa was the host nation and Iran, Russia and the UAE also participated. "It was not a regular or institutionalized BRICS activity, nor did all BRICS members take part in it," the Indian Ministry of External Affairs noted in explaining its absence.
The drills in South African waters, dubbed "Will for Peace," has proven an embarrassment for Pretoria. Initially scheduled for November 2025, the exercises were postponed so as not to interfere with discussions during the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
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Originally, the maneuvers were presented as a joint exercise by BRICS+ – the grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, which expanded in 2024 and 2025 to include Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Ethiopia and, notably, Iran. Held from January 9 to 16, at the height of a crackdown on protesters in Iranian cities, the drills ultimately brought together only a handful of BRICS+ members: China led the operation, South Africa was the host nation and Iran, Russia and the UAE also participated. "It was not a regular or institutionalized BRICS activity, nor did all BRICS members take part in it," the Indian Ministry of External Affairs noted in explaining its absence.
The drills in South African waters, dubbed "Will for Peace," has proven an embarrassment for Pretoria. Initially scheduled for November 2025, the exercises were postponed so as not to interfere with discussions during the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
You have 77.47% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.