Defence Web published on 30 December 2025 an article titled "Multinational Naval Exercise between SA, Iran, China, and Russia Scheduled for January" by Guy Martin.
South Africa will host a naval exercise between 9 and 16 January for naval vessels from China, Russia, and Iran. The exercise will include joint maritime safety operations, interoperability drills, and maritime protection serials. This is the first time Iran will be included in the exercise. As South Africa increases its military contacts with these three countries, it is reducing them with the United States.
