Iran, South Africa military commanders hail common anti-oppression goals
Iran Press TV
Tuesday, 12 August 2025 11:19 AM
Iran's Army commander and South Africa's military chief have commended their countries' common goal of fighting the global arrogance and aggressive colonial approaches.
The remarks were made by Major General Amir Hatami and the visiting Chief of the South African National Defense Force, General Rudzani Maphwanya, in Tehran on Tuesday.
The Iranian commander noted that the two sides were similarly bound by anti-colonial, anti-arrogance, and justice-driven principles, hailing that the African nation had been accorded a "prioritized" position in the Islamic Republic's foreign policy approach.
'Until restoration of global justice, human dignity'
"The Islamic Republic and South Africa have always supported each other and oppressed nations," Hatami declared, underscoring that the shared mission had to last until restoration of an international order "based on justice and human dignity."
The commander described South Africa's "firm stance" in condemning the Israeli regime's and the United States joint atrocities against Palestinians as both "courageous and commendable."
'South Africa's pro-Palestinian case set to be historical'
As a case in point regarding Pretoria's fight against the regime's aggression, he cited and praised Pretoria's decision to challenge the Zionist regime at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip.
The move, he said, would "go down in history."
The Iranian official warned that Gaza's besieged population urgently needed tangible, not symbolic, backing from governments and global institutions. "Unfortunately, due to the influence of the United States and some Western powers, such support is more verbal than practical. As a result, the crimes of this regime continue with intensity," he lamented.
'War brought US, Israel humiliation; South African support praiseworthy'
Recalling the regime's unprovoked US-backed war on the Islamic Republic in June, the commander denounced Tel Aviv and Washington for violating international law through the aggression.
He, however, underlined that the duo's all-out campaign to damage the country ended in humiliation, with Iranian missile counterstrikes forcing Tel Aviv to seek a ceasefire and Washington to refrain from resuming its attacks.
Hatami also similarly hailed Pretoria's supportive stance during the warfare as "courageous and commendable."
'Joint military cooperation, common goals' in focus
The commander further stressed that the political alignment between Tehran and Pretoria had lent South Africa "a special position" in Iran's strategic outreach to Africa, expressing hope to translate shared capabilities, especially in the military sphere, into concrete joint projects.
For his part, Maphwanya conveyed greetings from South Africa's president and defense minister, affirming that "the Republic of South Africa and the Islamic Republic of Iran have common goals." "We always stand alongside the oppressed and defenseless people of the world."
Reiterating solidarity with Palestinians, he denounced the Zionist regime's "bombing them while they are standing in line for food." South Africa's case at the ICJ, he said, seeks to ensure "those responsible for genocide are held accountable."
The African official also lambasted Tel Aviv's parallel aggression in the occupied West Bank, which he described as an extension of its illegal settlement-expansion policy.
Concluding his remarks, Maphwanya underlined the long-standing mutual respect between Tehran and Pretoria and called for deeper ties, particularly as far as defensive cooperation was concerned.
His visit did not simply address the nations' defense ties, but also "carries a political message," he said, adding that he had arrived in the Iranian capital at "the best possible time to express our heartfelt sentiments to the peace-loving people of Iran."
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