Ramaphosa reiterates call for ceasefire in Iran war
President Cyril Ramaphosa has reiterated South Africa’s call for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing war involving United States, Israel and Iran.
Ramaphosa said dialogue remained the only viable path to ending the violence.
The conflict, which has accused oil prices to skyrocket, entered its second month and left thousands of people dead.
The President spoke to the media during an official visit to Ndwedwe, in KwaZulu-Natal.
"South Africa continues to call for a ceasefire because that is the only way that this can come to an end. And it should not even be a temporary ceasefire; it should be a permanent ceasefire."
"And thereafter people should be able to sit around a table and find lasting solutions to the challenges and the problems that these countries are facing," Ramaphosa said.
He said South Africa was hopeful that there would be a negotiated settlement, this after US President Donald Trump warned that "a whole civilization will die" in Iran on Tuesday if the country does not heed his ultimatum to accept US war demands.
Trump announced a deadline of midnight GMT Tuesday for Iran to end its de facto closing of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow, strategic waterway used to transport oil and other commodities.
On Monday, he said a temporary cease-fire proposal being circulated was insufficient.
Iran rejected US pressure, with state media reporting that the authorities were insisting that instead of just a cease-fire it wants a full end to the war.
(Additional reporting by AFP)
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