With the current activities in the Middle East and South East Asia, events in southern Africa have slipped somewhat from the limelight. However the revolution in Iran will have a significant effect on South Africa in the future, and Soviet ambitions exist in that region as much as they do in South East Asia.

The cut in oil supply has hit South Africa particularly hard. In 1973 OPEC placed an oil boycott on South Africa, which the oil companies, tearful of running into further strife with the producing countries, scrupulously followed. Not so Iran. Rather like our own Rugby Union, Iran under the Shah had an official policy of seeing oil as "a commodity and not as a political weapon." In vigorous support of this policy. Iran supplied up to 90% of South Africa's oil (and incidentally about 80% of Israel's requirements).

While il is likely that Iran will regularise its exports of oil generally once things become more settled there, it is unlikely that the trade with South Africa will continue. However there is still hope for the Botha Government. It appears that several other OPEC countries may be prepared to trade with South Africa on an under-the-counter basis. Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have been buying increasing quantities of South African goods, especially foodstuffs and building materials. Venezuela has quietly continued trade with South Africa. But the all important oil does not appear to have been traded in any significant amounts.