Motshekga denies defying Ramaphosa as probe Into Iranian naval participation begins

Defence Minister Angie Motshekga has dismissed media reports suggesting she defied orders from President Cyril Ramaphosa to withdraw three Iranian warships from the multinational naval exercise taking place off the coast of Simon's Town this week.

THE "WILL FOR PEACE" EXERCISE
BRICS Plus countries—including South Africa, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, China, and Iran—have been participating in a joint maritime exercise known as "Will for Peace" since last Friday.

It is understood that President Ramaphosa had instructed Motshekga to request that the Islamic Republic of Iran withdraw from active drills and instead act as an observer before the exercise commenced. However, images emerged this week showing an Iranian vessel participating alongside ships from other BRICS nations, sparking concerns of a diplomatic rift.

OFFICIAL DENIALS AND THE BOARD OF INQUIRY
Minister Motshekga issued a statement clarifying that the President’s instruction was clearly communicated to all parties involved and that there was a mutual agreement to implement and adhere to the directive.

Ministry spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini confirmed that a formal inquiry has been established to investigate the discrepancy.

"Due to the seriousness of these allegations and reports in the media, the Minister has established a Board of Inquiry (BOI) to look into the circumstances surrounding the allegations and establish whether the instruction of the President may have been misrepresented and/or ignored as issued to all," Dlamini stated.

"The BOI must establish all the facts on what took place during the Exercise and table a report to the Minister within seven days of the completion of the Exercise."

DIPLOMATIC FALLOUT
Meanwhile, the US Embassy has slammed the South African government for allowing Iran to participate in the drills. In a sharply worded critique, US officials accused the Minister of defying presidential orders and raised concerns over the geopolitical implications of the naval collaboration.