DURBAN - President Cyril Ramaphosa has told Iranian president Hassan Rouhani that South Africa is interested in seeing a peaceful and just resolution to tensions between Iran and the United States.

According to Ramaphosa's spokesperson, Khusela Diko, the president phoned Rouhani on Thursday while in Kimberley. Ramaphosa is in the Northern Cape for the 108 anniversary celebrations of the African National Congress.

"President Ramaphosa’s engagement with president Rouhani was informed by South Africa’s principled view that conflicts should be resolved through political dialogue rather than the use of force.



"The engagement was also framed by South Africa’s role as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and incoming chair of the African Union," said Diko in a statement on Friday.



Ramaphosa conveyed South Africa's condolences to Rouhani on the assassination of Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani, said Diko.

Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike in Iraq last week Friday.

"President Ramaphosa also conveyed South Africa’s sadness at the loss of life – including that of a significant number of Iranian citizens – that resulted from the crash of Ukranian International Airlines Flight 752 shortly after take-off from the Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran on Wednesday," said Diko.