Cape Town — Iran is keen to strengthen its trade relations with South Africa to further enhance political ties between the two nations.
As BRICS members, Iran and South Africa have developed strong diplomatic relations, resulting in 15 joint commissions and various areas of cooperation.
The multibillion-dollar partnership includes MTN holding a significant stake in Irancell, while Sasol collaborates with the Arya Sasol Polymer company, as reported by The Citizen.
Iranian Ambassador to South Africa, Mansour Shakib Mehr, visited South Africa last week to speak at the 46th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution in Pretoria. During his visit, he confirmed that Iran is moving forward with plans to strengthen bilateral relations this year, the report said.
These plans include the appointment of deputy foreign ministers from both countries ahead of the 16th joint commission in Tehran, where 80 memorandums of understanding and other agreements are expected to be signed.
“We look forward to further expansion of relations with our South African partners in all fields,” the report quoted Mehr as saying.
Commemoration of the Anniversary of the Victory of the Islamic Revolution in South Africa
The ceremony marking the 46th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution and Iran’s National Day was held in Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, with the presence of South… pic.twitter.com/13xhg6tweG— Iran Embassy SA 🇮🇷 (@IraninSA) February 12, 2025
In light of South Africa’s ongoing tensions with the USA, BusinessTech looked at the import and export data South Africa has with the US, as well as countries such as Iran, Russia and Palestine, South Africa’s allies.
In 2024, South Africa exported goods worth R157 billion to the United States. The biggest exports were precious metals and vehicles. South Africa imported R120 billion worth of goods from the USA, including machinery, vehicles and aircraft, resulting in an R37 billion surplus.
In comparison, South Africa imported R10 billion from Russia, R68 million from Iran and R54 000 from Palestine. In total, this resulted in an R4.5 billion deficit, largely due to an R4.8 billion deficit from Russia.
Economist Dawie Roodt and Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, urged South Africa to mend ties with the USA as it is a highly valuable trade partner.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
