South Africa is willing to play a mediating role in the Middle East conflict involving Israel, the U.S., and Iran, if requested to do so, President Cyril Ramaphosa said.
Last weekend, Israel, in coordination with its powerful ally, the U.S., launched its largest-ever combat operations inside Iran. These operations resulted in the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several senior military officers. The attack has prompted a major retaliatory strike from Iran, making U.S. bases and oil and gas infrastructures in Gulf states primary targets.
“South Africa is always ready to play a contributing role, either in mediation or otherwise. If a gap opens or if we are asked, we always live up to our obligations,” Reuters quoted Ramaphosa as saying.
The president said that if a mediation opportunity arose for his country, he would work toward a ceasefire and ending the conflict through dialogue. Ramaphosa added that South Africa is doing everything possible to repatriate its citizens from the region.
The conflict, the most devastating in the Middle East since the Israel-Gaza war, continues unabated with joint Israel-U.S. bombardments and Iranian counterattacks.
