NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 16 — The United States has protested South Africa’s decision to take part in a multinational naval exercise involving Iran, describing Tehran as a “destabilizing actor and state sponsor of terror” and warning that its participation undermines regional and maritime security.In a statement, the US Embassy in South Africa said Washington viewed with “concern and alarm” reports that South Africa’s Minister of Defence and the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) proceeded with Iran’s involvement in the ongoing drills despite an alleged government directive to the contrary.“Iran is a destabilizing actor and state sponsor of terror, and its inclusion in joint exercises — in any capacity — undermines maritime security and regional stability,” the embassy said.The statement added that it was “particularly unconscionable” for South Africa to welcome Iranian security forces at a time when, according to Washington, Iranian authorities were “shooting, jailing, and torturing Iranian citizens engaging in peaceful political activity.”The embassy further criticised Pretoria’s foreign policy posture, saying South Africa “can’t lecture the world on ‘justice’ while cozying up to Iran,” and argued that allowing Iranian military forces to operate in South African waters — or expressing solidarity with Tehran — goes beyond non-alignment.“It’s choosing to stand with a regime that brutally represses its people and engages in terrorism,” the statement said.‘Will for Peace 2026’The diplomatic protest comes as South Africa hosts Exercise WILL FOR PEACE 2026, a multinational maritime drill involving navies from China, Russia, Iran and South Africa, with China serving as the lead nation.The exercise officially began on January 10, 2026, with an opening parade in Simon’s Town, marking the start of joint activities conducted in South Africa’s training areas and territorial waters.South Africa’s military has described the exercise as bringing together navies from BRICS Plus countries for joint maritime safety operations and interoperability drills.The commander of the Chinese task group said the exercise reflected months of planning and collaboration among participating navies, while the Joint Task Force Commander, Capt. Ndwakhulu Thamaha, said WILL FOR PEACE 2026 was more than a military activity, demonstrating a shared commitment to maritime safety and secure shipping.SANDF said it seeks to reinforce cooperative maritime engagement, build mutual trust among participating forces, and support efforts to maintain secure sea lines of communication.While South Africa has routinely conducted naval exercises with China and Russia in recent years, Iran’s participation has drawn heightened scrutiny amid rising tensions between US President Donald Trump’s administration and several BRICS Plus countries, including China, Iran, South Africa and Brazil. The expanded BRICS grouping also includes Egypt, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates.South Africa has not publicly responded in detail to the US criticism, but officials have previously maintained that such exercises are consistent with the country’s non-aligned foreign policy and its commitment to multilateral cooperation.