Chinese and Iranian warships docked at a South African naval base on Thursday, preparing to participate in the BRICS joint military exercise taking place locally.
According to AFP, China is leading some BRICS countries in a joint naval exercise codenamed "Peace Will 2026" from the 9th to the 16th in South African waters. In addition to China and Iran, Russia will also participate in the exercise.
AFP reporters saw two Chinese warships in False Bay, Cape Town, on the 7th, and an Iranian warship docked there on the 8th.
South African naval officials stated that Russian warships will also participate in the exercise led by China.
When the South African Ministry of Defense announced the exercise in a statement last December, it said that the operation would focus on ensuring the safety of transportation and maritime economic activities, while also aiming to deepen cooperation in support of peaceful maritime security initiatives. The navies of BRICS countries will participate in the exercise.
The founding members of BRICS are Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It later expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, with Indonesia joining most recently.