South Africa dismisses US demands to sever ties with Iran

After the incoming U.S. ambassador was cited as suggesting that South Africa’s affiliation with the Islamic Republic hindered positive relations with Washington, the country’s director general of foreign affairs stated that there is no need to sever ties with Iran.

Zane Dangor, director-general of the Department of International Relations, rejected some other Trump administration demands in an interview with Reuters over the weekend. These demands included abandoning Black empowerment laws, accepting a white refugee program, and dropping South Africa’s genocide case against Israel.

Dangor was speaking in the context of a severe decline in Pretoria’s relations with the United States during President Donald Trump’s second term, as well as the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran, which is putting more pressure on nations managing relations with Tehran.

At a time when one-third of South Africans are unemployed, Trump’s August 30% tariff on South African imports might result in tens of thousands of job losses.

Dangor stated, “We have no reason to cut ties with Iran,” but added, “We are not absolutely uncritical of Iran,” pointing out that the government of President Cyril Ramaphosa had chastised the country for its January crackdown on protestors and for attacking neighbors in the most recent conflict with the United States. “(But) we cannot be pulled into the sort of sphere of influence politics that great powers want to pull us into, and that in this instance includes the U.S.,” he said.

According to News24, incoming U.S. Ambassador Leo Bozell stated in his first media interview that “an association with Iran is an impediment to good relations with the United States.”

“You (the United States) have a particular relationship with Iran … that many in the developing world do not have,” Dangor stated.

US RELATIONSHIP HITS ROCK BOTTOM

Since Trump accused South Africa’s Black majority government of persecuting its white minority and repeated untrue allegations about land seizures from white farmers that circulated on far-right chat forums, the country’s relations with the United States have been at an all-time low.

Pretoria was eager to strengthen ties with Washington, but “let’s engage about areas we agree on,” according to Dangor.

“It’s not even on the table … In my last engagement with the State Department people, we indicated that if you disagree with us on this, it’s a court ⁠process,” Dangor stated in reference to the International Court of Justice complaint against Israel over its attack in Gaza.

To reduce South Africa’s 30% tariff, Trump administration officials have proposed amending rules meant to address the legacy of apartheid, such as minimum criteria for Black employees and business ownership.

“We won’t allow the domestic issues they’ve raised to influence that decision,” Dangor declared.

Additionally, the United States hopes to handle 4,500 refugee applications from white South Africans each month. “It’s a preferential immigration program,” Dangor stated in response to Trump’s accusations of persecution. However, they ought to use the standard procedures. He said, “They cannot use the moniker of ‘refugee,'” which is why a Kenyan organization that handles refugees was turned away.