Why is South Africa’s military leader being criticized for supporting Iran? | Global Commerce Updates

Dolphin: South African Army Chief General Rudzani Mapwhanya is under fire in his home country after reportedly making comments during an official visit to Iran that could further strain relations with the US. The comments suggested that Iran and South Africa have shared military objectives, which comes at a time when South Africa is attempting to mend its relations with President Trump in order to stabilize trade. The relationship between South Africa and the US is already strained, and the South African government has distanced itself from the army chief’s alleged statements. The army chief condemned Israel’s actions and voiced support for oppressed and defenseless people around the world. The government of South Africa has said that the chief’s visit to Iran was poorly timed and welcomed criticism from the Democratic Alliance party. The US and South Africa’s relationship is at its lowest in decades. The latest incident echoes a 2022 scandal when a sanctioned Russian cargo ship called the Lady R docked at a South African naval base.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2025/8/16/why-is-south-africas-army-chief-under-fire-for-backing-iran?traffic_source=rss