South Africa once again finds itself in a catch 22. Will it stand steadfast in solidarity with its Non Alligned Movement (NAM) ally Iran in nuclear defiance or will it once again vote with the West for greater sanctions? As we speak, our UN representatives are doing all they can to delay and water down the Security Council resolution to the point of it being meaningless.
This week South Africa publicly raised concerns about the timing and nature of the draft sanctions resolution against Iran that is currently being circulated by the 5 permanent members of the Security Council (including Russia and China). The text is reported to be calling for mandatory travel bans, asset freezes and vigilance on all banks in Iran as well as the inspection of suspicious air and sea cargo to and from Iran transported by the firms, Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line. It is this compulsory inspection regime that South Africa has specifically objected to. UN Ambassador Dumisani Khumalo was quoted as saying:
| "We just want to be sure that that is done right if it's ever done, because it's an obligation (for us). We wouldn't want confrontation on our shores. And what happens if you search the wrong boat? ... It may be an Iranian boat but it may be an innocent one. They'll sue us." |
It’s an interesting approach to use South Africa’s administrative incompetence as an excuse. I guess if we can’t keep the lights on how can the international community expect us to effectively search ships and planes. I also wonder what confrontations on our shore he is alluding to. Is he implying that there are groups of people in South Africa who are holding the government hostage? That is a very serious admission.
South Africa is also trying to delay the actual vote. While America and the other permanent members of the Security Council want it to take place as soon as possible, South Africa is pushing for the council to wait for an IAEA report that is scheduled to be released at the end of the month. It is expected that the report will praise Iran for its co-operation with the nuclear watch dog. South Africa has made it clear that Iran should be awarded for this.
This argument is somewhat disingenuous. South Africa knows very well that the sanctions are for Iran’s continued Uranium enrichment in defiance of a previous Security Council Resolution. Its co-operation with the IAEA on its historic illegal nuclear activities is obligatory for all signatories to the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and not something it should rewarded for.
From reports in the Iran press it’s clear that Iran is placing Pretoria under significant pressure to help squash the resolution. They have been praising South Africa’s ‘independent and principled position’. And in return for continued support they are offering to ‘share the benefits of its scientific achievements with the other countries of the Global South.’
So what will South Africa do? If the past is an indication of the future then despite its protests, the government will ultimately vote for sanctions in the name of consensus. But the makeup of the Security Council is not as it was last year. We have a new member, Libya, who is as opposed to the sanctions resolution as South Africa. Consensus might be impossible. And then South Africa will have no excuses left for betraying Iran – other than the reality that Iran is a threat to international peace and security. Our days of straddling the diplomatic fence are over.
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