Investigators deliver report on why Iranian warships took part in naval drills off South Africa

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A report into why Iranian warships took part in naval drills off South Africa's coast this year against the instructions of the country's president has been finalized, his office said Tuesday.

The report has been received by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa but will remain confidential while he reviews it, his office said in a statement.

The participation of Iran in drills also involving Chinese and Russian ships off Cape Town in January came at a time of heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, and sparked harsh U.S. criticism of South Africa for allowing Iranian warships to take part.

The drills took place during mass protests in Iran and a crackdown that killed more than 7,000 people. The U.S. and Israel launched military strikes against Iran a month later to start the war.

Ramaphosa ordered the investigation, led by a retired judge, in February, saying there was a “failure to heed the instruction” that Iranian vessels that had already traveled to South Africa for the planned exercises not take part.

The investigation looked at whether Ramaphosa's order was ignored by high-ranking members of the South African armed forces or officials at the Defense Ministry. The president ordered that the investigation report to him and not the Defense Ministry to ensure it was independent, his office said at the time.

South Africa's diplomatic relations with Iran have been a point of criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump and one of the reasons why his administration has accused Africa's biggest economy of having an anti-American foreign policy.

Ramaphosa's instruction that Iran not take part in the weeklong naval drills was seen as an attempt to avoid further diplomatic fallout with the U.S.

The naval drills involving South Africa, China, Russia and Iran were organized under the BRICS bloc, which the U.S. has viewed as a geopolitical and economic challenge to American influence.

BRICS has expanded to 11 member countries in recent years, with Iran among four new members that joined in 2024.

AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa

A woman holds an Iranian flag as part of a pro-government campaign in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

FILE - The Iranian navy ship Naghdi is seen docked at Simon's Town Harbour in Cape Town, South Africa, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Nardus Engelbrecht, File)

Luke Murray looks to end the longest NCAA Tournament drought for a Power Four school in his first season with the Eagles and his first head coaching job. A key assistant with UConn for five seasons, including two that ended with an NCAA championship, the 41-year-old Murray brings a nearly completely overhauled roster in search of the school’s first tourney berth since 2009.

Senior guard Money Williams comes from Montana after leading the Big Sky in scoring with 20.6 points per game. The 6-foot-4 Williams was the Big Sky Tournament MVP, scoring 91 points in three games and is one of six players in the school’s history to reach 1,000 points, 300 rebounds and 300 assists. … Senior shooting guard Ernest Shelton comes from nearby Merrimack, where he averaged 34.6% on 3-point attempts. … Aly Tounkara, a 7-foot transfer from Arkansas State, averaged 4.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and a block in 18.3 minutes per game. ... Jacob Furphy, a 6-foot-5 guard, came with Murray from UConn. He played sparingly with the Huskies last season after coming in as a four-star recruit from Australia.

It’s an almost entirely a new roster for Murray with only two returning player: redshirt freshman forward Jack Bailey and Will Eggemeier. The Eagles have 13 new faces on a squad that looks to learn Murray’s offensive system, which helped the Huskies’ run.

The Eagles open the season at home against Wagner on Nov. 3 and have an interesting intrastate matchup in their second game at TD Garden against Massachusetts three days later. They travel to Georgia on Dec. 1 in the ACC/SEC challenge before opening conference play at home against North Carolina on Jan. 2 and have a home matchup against expected league power Duke on Jan. 16.

BC was last in the league last season in scoring (65.1 points per game), shooting (41.0%) and 3-point shooting (29.6%). … The Eagles have had three head coaches since their last tourney berth under Al Skinner.

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FILE - Montana guard Money Williams (0) drives against Louisville guard Adrian Wooley (14) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Louisville, Ky., Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)

FILE - UConn assistant coach Luke Murray gestures during the first half of an exhibition NCAA basketball game against Boston College, Oct. 13, 2025, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)