By Alimat Aliyeva

Chinese, Russian, and Iranian warships launched a week?long series of naval drills off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, on Friday as geopolitical tensions intensify, particularly over recent U.S. actions involving Venezuela and the seizure of tankers carrying Venezuelan oil, Azernews reports, citing foreign media.

The exercises, titled “Will for Peace 2026,” were organized under the expanded BRICS Plus framework, an initiative that builds on the original BRICS bloc to include additional emerging economies. South African defence officials say the manoeuvres will focus on maritime safety, anti?piracy operations, and enhancing interoperability between participating navies.

China, Russia and South Africa have long collaborated within BRICS, while Iran became a member in 2024. The drills bring together vessels from these countries and feature a mix of destroyers, corvettes, and support ships — including China’s guided?missile destroyer Tangshan and Russia’s corvette Stoikiy, alongside Iranian naval assets.

The exercises were originally scheduled for late November but were postponed due to the G20 summit in Johannesburg, highlighting South Africa’s diplomatic balancing act between hosting global leaders and deepening defence cooperation.

While South Africa’s government insists the drills are apolitical and aimed at strengthening maritime security — including safeguarding shipping routes and economic activities — critics argue they could worsen relations with the United States. The U.S. has previously accused South Africa of supporting rival powers, and diplomatic strains have been evident amid debates over foreign policy and sanctions.

Domestic opposition voices in South Africa, especially from the Democratic Alliance party, have criticized the government’s decision to host exercises that include heavily sanctioned states like Russia and Iran, calling it a political choice that risks aligning the country with contentious global actors.

In addition to the core participants, observers from Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, and Ethiopia have also been reported to attend, reflecting the broader geopolitical interest in BRICS Plus cooperation beyond purely military outcomes.