Government worried about safety of South Africans in Iran
Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei .
South Africa is concerned about the safety of its citizens in
'South Africa expresses deep concern regarding the escalation of hostilities between the state of Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran,' the ministry of international relations said.
It deplored the loss of civilian lives in the ongoing exchange of missile attacks between Israel and Iran.
Dozens of civilians, including 30 children, have been killed in Iran since Israel on Friday launched strikes on the country, targeting its energy and military infrastructure in attacks that killed nuclear scientists and senior army commanders.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has termed it a pre-emptive operation aimed at halting Iran's progress towards developing nuclear weapons.
In Israel, at least 14 people were killed on Sunday as a retaliatory barrage brought down an apartment block south of Tel Aviv. Israeli authorities said on Monday another eight people were killed overnight as missiles struck sites across Israel, including an apartment building in the central city of Petach Tikva.
'South Africa emphasises that under international humanitarian law, civilians and civilian infrastructure must never be considered legitimate targets,' the ministry said.
'We reiterate our urgent call for de-escalation, restraint and full compliance with international law by all parties to prevent further human suffering.'
The ministry urged South Africans in Iran to contact the country's embassy in Tehran to communicate their whereabouts. But it cautioned that Pretoria's diplomatic network in Iran was limited and that South Africans could not count on in-person consular assistance in case of a security emergency.
'Therefore citizens are further encouraged to assess their own safety and security and act accordingly.'
The conflict is expected to dominate discussions between world leaders at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, where they had been expected to focus on the war in Ukraine and the Trump administration's tariff regime.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is attending the summit, which formally commences on Monday. In March his office rejected suggestions by the US state department that South Africa was working with Iran to develop nuclear arms.
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Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, said South Africa extended its condolences to people of both nations who have suffered casualties since the war erupted, resulting in the 'tragic loss of life". On Saturday, IOL reported that the government had expressed 'profound' concern regarding the attacks conducted by Israel on targets within Iran on Friday, including reported impacts on military areas, nuclear facilities, and civilian infrastructure. The day before, AFP reported that Iran called Israel's wave of strikes a declaration of war, while US President Donald Trump warned Tehran of "even more brutal" attacks if it does not make a deal on its nuclear programme. In a major campaign launched on Friday, Israeli fighter jets and drones struck nuclear and military sites in Iran, also hitting residential areas and fuel depots. Iran's health ministry said at least 224 people were killed and more than 1,200 wounded. 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As a central pillar of the 'Axis of Resistance' — a regional alliance that includes Hezbollah in Lebanon, Syria, various Iraqi militias and the Yemeni Houthis — Iran has consistently backed armed and political groups resisting Israeli occupation and Western influence. This support, especially its material and strategic assistance to Palestinian factions in Gaza and the West Bank, has long made Iran a target of Israeli hostility. Analysts suggest that the June 2025 strikes were not merely pre-emptive attacks on nuclear infrastructure, but also punitive measures intended to weaken Iran's capacity to support Palestinian resistance. Israel's actions signal an attempt to fracture the regional coalition that has coalesced around opposition to Zionist expansionism and US hegemony in the Middle East. In this context, the offensive appears not as an isolated act of self-defence, but as a broader geopolitical move to dismantle the Axis of Resistance and deter solidarity with Palestine. Despite its declared military objectives, Israel's airstrikes caused significant damage to residential areas and civilian infrastructure in Tehran, raising serious concerns under international humanitarian law. These actions violate the principle of distinction, which prohibits attacks on civilians and civilian objects; the principle of proportionality, which forbids excessive civilian harm relative to anticipated military advantage; and the obligation to take precautions in attack to minimise civilian casualties. Civilian infrastructure is protected under Article 52 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions. Moreover, Israel has not demonstrated lawful self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter, meaning the operation constitutes an unlawful use of force. These violations amount to war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which prohibits the deliberate targeting of civilians and disproportionate attacks. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed that radioactive contamination caused by the attack on the Natanz uranium enrichment facility was successfully contained and reported no casualties at the site. Nonetheless, the targeting of nuclear sites poses grave humanitarian and environmental risks, including potential radiation leaks and contamination with effects that can last for centuries. Confirmed targets of the Israeli operation included: Tehran, including nearby military facilities; Natanz, where the main uranium enrichment facility was hit; Tabriz, near a nuclear research centre and two military bases; Isfahan, located south of the capital; Arak, in southwestern Iran; and Kermanshah, near the Iraqi border, where an underground ballistic missile depot was struck. Following the attacks, Israel's military issued a warning: 'Anyone who tries to challenge us will pay a heavy price.' This statement reinforces Israel's image as a belligerent state that disregards core principles of international law, including those recently affirmed by the International Court of Justice. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that the Natanz site was hit, and its director, Rafael Grossi, stated that the UN is monitoring radiation levels and is in contact with Iranian authorities and on-site inspectors. But the IAEA has yet to acknowledge Iran's official nuclear policy, which emphasizes peaceful nuclear technology, a nuclear weapons-free Middle East, and adherence to Khamenei's fatwa banning nuclear weapons. This transparent stance stands in stark contrast to Israel's ambiguous and undisclosed nuclear arsenal. In 2023, former Israeli minister Amichai Eliyahu openly suggested that using nuclear weapons against Gaza was 'an option,' later adding that Gaza had 'no right to exist' and threatening all those supporting Hamas or Palestine. Although Eliyahu was indefinitely suspended from the government, his remarks strongly imply that Israel not only possesses nuclear weapons, but also entertains their potential use. These developments raise urgent questions about the absence of international nuclear inspectors in Israel, and the inadequate response from the IAEA and the UN Security Council. As Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian stated: 'The UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency must take immediate and uninterrupted action to disarm this barbaric and apartheid regime.' The international response to Israel's assault has once again exposed the deep double standards of Western powers. While Western governments have swiftly condemned similar or lesser actions by other states — often invoking human rights, international law, and the UN Charter — they remain largely silent or issue only tepid statements when it comes to Israel. The same actors that vocally denounce aggression elsewhere have repeatedly shielded Israel from accountability, even in the face of clear violations of international humanitarian law. This selective outrage not only undermines the credibility of international legal norms but also emboldens Israel to act with impunity. The disparity in response highlights a geopolitical bias where the rules-based international order is applied unequally and used as a weapon against adversaries, but disregarded when violations are committed by allies or strategic partners. In failing to hold Israel accountable, the international community risks legitimising the suppression of resistance movements and entrenching cycles of impunity and occupation across the region. Sõzarn Barday is a writer and attorney based in South Africa and has a particular interest in human rights in the Middle East. Opinions shared represent her individual perspective.
