Three Iranian navy ships remain in False Bay -- and one participated in exercise Will for Peace, according to the SANDF.

The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) appears to have defied orders from President Ramaphosa to withdraw three Iranian warships from the multinational naval exercise Will for Peace taking place in False Bay this week.

But there has been considerable confusion about Iran's involvement, and the Democratic Alliance (DA) and members of the public are demanding clarity.

The Presidency decided at the weekend that Iran should withdraw its three warships from the exercise, according to sources.

Ramaphosa was clearly concerned about the damage Iran's participation could do to South African relations with the United States, at a time when the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) was making its way through Congress, and while negative US and international attention on Iran was unusually high because of widespread protests against the government, and the government's lethal response.

A senior South African official told Daily Maverick on Monday that the defence ministries of all the countries taking part in exercise Will for Peace - notably including the Iranian defence ministry - had agreed that Iran would withdraw from the key sea phase of the exercise, which had been about to begin on Tuesday.

Yet on Tuesday, the three Iranian navy ships, which arrived...