South Africa’s BRICS+ naval exercises with Iran spark presidential dispute
Cooperation areas
Source: Le Monde.fr | Original Published At: 2026-02-02 17:00:09 UTC
Key Points
- BRICS+ naval exercises (Jan 9-16, 2026) involved China, South Africa, Iran, Russia and UAE, despite India's absence
- South African President opposed Iran's participation during its violent suppression of protests
- Exercises marked first major BRICS+ military cooperation after the bloc's 2024-2025 expansion
- Participation of sanctioned Iranian vessels like the Naghdi corvette drew international criticism
- Event exposed internal BRICS+ tensions over geopolitical alignment and institutional procedures