South Africans Stranded in Middle East as US-Iran Conflict Escalates
- As the war between the United States and Iran rages on, South Africans in the Middle East are stranded
- Flights from the United Arab Emirates have been cancelled as Donald Trump provides a timeline of the war’s duration
- Briefly News spoke to the Iranian Community in South Africa, who support the United States’ military action
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Tebogo Mokwena, affiliated with Briefly News, covered local and international politics, political analysis, and interviews in South Africa for Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News during his 10 years of experience.
Source: Twitter
SOUTH AFRICA — South Africans who are in the Middle East say they are hoping to make it home safely after the United States launched a military operation in Iran over the weekend on 28 February 2026. The Iranian Community of South Africa weighed in on the operation and praised the United States as President Donald Trump outlined the timeline for how long the operations would last.
Aden Lahoud spoke to SABC News from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where the Iranian military launched missile strikes in Dubai. Lahoud recounted the events and how he and his wife reacted. Lahoud said they were sleeping on the morning of 1 March 2026 when an alarm on their phones went off, alerting them to the attack. He and his wife went downstairs after getting dressed, and they were directed to the basement. They remained underground for an hour and a half while the bombings took place.
South Africans stranded in Middle East
Another South African who is in Bahrain, Yathin Soni, said the bombs continued unabated over the weekend. He added that for 48 hours, they have been receiving phone alerts of the attacks. Soni reported that the Iranian military attacked Mina Salman Port on the evening of 1 March. He added that emergency vehicles were travelling in the area throughout the night.
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According to Eyewitness News, the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) spokesperson, Ofentse Dijoe, said travellers who are scheduled to fly from South African airports to the Middle East and the UAE have been advised not to go to airport precincts until they’ve confirmed their flight status. About 14 flights between South Africa and the UAE have been cancelled. A South African who did not want to be named told Briefly News that she was supposed to travel to London via Doha later this month, but Qatar Airways is currently grounded.
“The uncertainty is very stressful at the moment, because we have to plan ahead,” she said.
What is happening in Bahrain and Dubai?
According to Turkish publication Anadolu Ajansı, a maritime facility near Mina Salman Port was attacked after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting retaliatory action from Iran. Several top leaders, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were killed during the initial attack. BBC News reported that Trump said the operation was aimed at ensuring that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
Trump said the United States military would destroy its missiles and raze the country’s missile industry to the ground. He then encouraged the Iranian people to overthrow the clerical government and said this could be their only chance in generations. Trump also revealed that the conflict is expected to last four weeks.
In response, Iran launched numerous attacks in the Middle East, killing nine people during an attack on a synagogue in the city of Beit Shemesh. Countries like Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan have intercepted missile attacks. However, three people were killed when Iran launched attacks on ports and airports in the UAE.
Source: Getty Images
Iran community in South Africa responds
Shervin Ghorbani from the Iranian Community in South Africa told Briefly News that Operation Lion Roar is one of the few attacks on Iran that the population welcomes. He added that it is an opportunity for the Iranian people to be freed from a government that they experience as oppressive and deadly.
“The first duty of a government is to protect the lives of its civilians, but unfortunately, this Iranian government has been directly responsible for killing thousands of its own citizens. Iranianslove their country, and they are very resilient, and they will protect their country with their all, but now they have to fight against their own government,” he said.
South African government calls for dialogue in Middle East
In a related article, Briefly News reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa called for urgent dialogue and maximum restraint in response to the US and Israel’s attack on Iran. He said that anticipatory self-defence is not permitted under the United Nations Charter.
Ramaphosa pointed out that there can be no military solution to fundamentally political disputes. He pointed out that long-term stability can only be achieved through inclusive dialogue.
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Source: Briefly News
