Director-General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa Zane Dango
South Africa has pushed back against pressure from the United States to change its foreign policy, saying it will not choose sides between powerful nations.
A senior government official said Pretoria will continue to keep relations with Iran despite comments from the new U.S. ambassador that the relationship could harm ties with Washington.
Speaking in an interview with Reuters, Zane Dangor, director-general of South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, made it clear that the country will decide its own partnerships.
“We have not any reason to cut ties with Iran,” Dangor said.
His remarks come at a time when tensions are rising between the United States and Iran following the recent conflict involving Washington, Israel and Tehran. The war has placed pressure on many governments to take clear positions.
Dangor said South Africa does not support every action taken by Iran but believes global powers should not force other countries into political camps.
“(But) we cannot be pulled into the sort of sphere of influence politics that great powers want to pull us into, and that in this instance includes the U.S.,” he said.
The comments follow a statement by the newly appointed U.S. ambassador to South Africa, Leo Bozell, who said in an interview with News24 that “an association with Iran is an impediment to good relations with the United States.”
Relations between Pretoria and Washington have become tense in recent months.
In August, U.S. President Donald Trump placed a 30% tariff on goods imported from South Africa. The move could hurt the country’s export sector and threaten thousands of jobs at a time when unemployment is already high.
Dangor said South Africa still wants better relations with the United States but warned that the partnership should focus on common ground.
“Let’s engage about areas we agree on,” he said.
Washington has also urged Pretoria to change several domestic and foreign policies. These include dropping South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice over the Gaza war, adjusting laws meant to increase Black ownership in business, and accepting a special refugee programme for white South Africans.
Dangor rejected these demands.
On the court case against Israel, he said the matter is already before international judges.
“It’s not even on the table,” he said, explaining that disagreements over the issue should be handled through legal processes.
The United States has also proposed processing up to 4,500 refugee requests each month from white South Africans whom Trump claims face persecution. Dangor criticized the plan, saying it should follow normal immigration rules.
“It’s a preferential immigration programme,” he said. “But they should do it through the normal channels. They cannot use the moniker of ‘refugee’.”