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MRN PRESS STATEMENT: ON MOSI III REJECTS CRITICS OF IRAN’S PARTICIPATION IN BRICS NAVAL EXERCISE 

Pic Courtesy: NovaNews

By Iqbal Jassat 

In welcoming the participation of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Exercise Mosi lll to be held in South Africa, Media Review Network reminds Apartheid Israel’s pressure groups that the host country is a sovereign, independent democracy.

Likewise, the participating countries – Russia, China and Iran – are sovereign nation-states and do not need the consent of the United States nor of the settler colonial regime to conduct joint naval exercises in South African waters.

While Iran will be participating for the first time, Mosi lll is round three of combined drills with crucial outcomes expected to center on: search and rescue operations, maritime security and tactics to overcome piracy.

In addition, given the substantial experience of Iran’s navy operating in the Persian Gulf confronting threats of hijacking, their skills in combating it will be extremely useful apart from being necessary and vital for South Africa’s economy.

Indeed the scenarios envisaged at planning meetings reveal that sharing skills and tactics will contribute to safer African coastlines.

We therefore reject attempts by Israel’s shameless backers of the genocide in Gaza to scuttle the naval plans.

Along with the Democratic Alliance, raising false flags of alarm arising from their narrow worldview, fits a pattern of racist behaviour that places them at odds with South Africa’s foreign policy.

The hostile stance against Mosi lll by Helen Zille’s DA, which to date has failed to unequivocally condemn Israel’s genocidal regime as well as the illegal recruitment and deployment of South African mercenaries in the Zionist regime’s terrorist army, lacks morality.

Not surprising, the objection raised by the DA matches that of Israel’s US-based lobby known as Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).

In its opposition to the naval drills, the FDD has demanded punitive actions by calling on the Trump administration to review tariff negotiations regarding African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

In a statement titled “South Africa want BRICS to become a Global Naval Force”, the FDD resorts to maligning Mosi lll by leaning on rhetorical bias and disgusting prejudice.

While the critics have not hidden their collective prejudiced opposition, we call on South Africa to refuse to succumb to their hateful demands.

At the same time we welcome Iran’s 103rd fleet group docking in Cape Town for Exercise Mosi lll, marking the first time the Islamic Republic joins the BRICS event.

Issued by:

Iqbal Jassat

Executive Member

Media Review Network

Johannesburg

South Africa

Iqbal Jassat
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