South Africa has initiated a weeklong joint naval exercise named "Will for Peace 2026" with China, Russia, and Iran in its territorial waters off Cape Town. The drills, led by China and hosted at Simon’s Town Naval Base, are conducted under the BRICS Plus framework.
The focus of the exercise is on maritime safety, interoperability, and the protection of shipping routes. Warships from the participating nations arrived earlier this week, and operations are scheduled to run from January 9 to January 16, 2026.
This joint exercise highlights ongoing military cooperation among the participating countries. For more on related coverage, see recent developments in Iran"s military stance.
