South Africa urged to cut ties with Iran as benefits evaporate

South Africa’s close relationship with Iran no longer serves any strategic or economic purpose and risks damaging the country’s international standing, according to foreign affairs analyst Phillip de Wet.

De Wet, who writes on international affairs for News24, was responding to questions about why Pretoria has maintained ties with Tehran despite long-standing concerns over human rights abuses and growing international isolation.

“Basically none”

Asked what the real reason is for South Africa’s alliance with Iran, De Wet was blunt.

“Basically, none. I mean, there is no longer any justification to be an ally or be associated with them in any way, shape or form. There’s no profit to be made from it in the long term,” he said.

He acknowledged that historic ties and South Africa’s past pursuit of non-alignment played a role, particularly when Iran was seen as an influential global player outside the Western orbit.

Why the calculus has changed

According to De Wet, those calculations no longer hold.

He argued that recent developments have fundamentally altered Iran’s prospects.

“There is now no prospect that Iran can ever be rehabilitated in terms of its economic power,” he said, adding that Iranian oil would be ‘virtually impossible’ for South Africa to access and that local investments in the country should be ‘written off’.

He also warned that the trajectory of internal repression points towards an eventual collapse of the regime.

“The revolution will come, or the counter-revolution will come… that regime will fall, and that fall will likely be quite a bloody one. This is not something South Africa wants to be involved in or anywhere near.”

China would understand

One concern is whether distancing itself from Iran would upset Beijing, given Iran’s position within the broader BRICS grouping and its closeness to China and Russia.

De Wet argued that China would be pragmatic.

“China has no time for any human rights arguments around China,” he said, but added that Beijing is tolerant of partners having their own foreign policy ‘quirks’.

“If South Africa comes to China and goes, ‘We do have a human rights focus. This is embedded in our very DNA. We can no longer be part of this,’ I do think South Africa will get a sympathetic hearing.”

He said the greater diplomatic risk would be angering Moscow, but maintained that the potential benefits outweigh the costs.

“The potential benefit, I think, significantly outweighs that for South Africa on the international stage.”

For more information, listen to De Wet using the audio player below: