Day: March 10, 2026

Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze congratulated Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on his election as Iran’s new Supreme Leader amid continued war in the Middle East.

“On behalf of the Government of Georgia, I congratulate you on your election as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Georgia attaches great importance to the partnership between our two countries and peoples, founded on mutual respect,” Kobakhidze wrote in a message published by the government administration on March 10. “I wish the Iranian people peace and prosperity,” he added.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was named successor to his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran. His election comes amid an ongoing regional war, as Iran has launched missiles and drones toward Gulf states and other targets in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he was “disappointed” and “not happy” with the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei. Israel’s Foreign Ministry called the new supreme leader “another tyrant,” saying on X that “Mojtaba Khamenei’s hands are already stained with the bloodshed that defined his father’s rule.”

Kobakhidze’s congratulatory message comes amid growing scrutiny of Tbilisi’s ties with Tehran and its stance on the ongoing war. The Georgian Dream government on March 2 extended condolences to both Iran and Israel, stating that “the ongoing hostilities have claimed the highest number of lives [in Iran], including the supreme leader, other political leaders, numerous innocent civilians, and dozens of children.”

On March 7, Georgia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed to local media outlets that a deputy foreign minister made an entry “analogous” to that government’s position in the book of condolences opened at the Iranian Embassy.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s State Security Service has opened a probe into public statements by experts, critics, and opposition figures about alleged recruitment practices by Iran in Georgia, saying it is examining the “contents” and “motives” of those allegations. The agency has summoned several pundits for questioning as part of the probe.

Also Read:

• 28/02/2026 – MFA ‘Closely Monitoring’ Middle East Situation Amid US-Israeli, Iranian Strikes
• 02/07/2025 – GD Deputy Foreign Minister Attends Memorial Event at Iranian Embassy

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John Walters, president of the Washington-based conservative think tank the Hudson Institute, has expressed “serious concern” after Georgia’s State Security Service (SSG) launched an investigation linked to a report published by the institute on the growing influence of Iran in Georgia.

Georgia security services question politicians, experts over Iran influence claims

Statements concerned a sanctioned Iran-linked university and risks to the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline and the US embassy

In a statement published on the social network X, Walters says the report relies on publicly available and verified information. He adds that the institute prepared the study fully in line with its standards.

He also argues that the report “should serve as a wake-up call,” given that many view Iran as a source of destabilisation in the region.

“Instead of investigating the authors of this report, the Georgian authorities should focus on its conclusions. They are based on publicly available information that the government should already have recognised,” Walters writes.

Opinion: ‘Georgia must define its position on Iran’

Political analyst Paata Zakareishvili: “It cannot be ruled out that Israel and the US may send troops into Iran.”

Background

The report titled “Georgia’s Turn Toward Iran: The Rapid Expansion of Tehran’s Influence in a Once Influential US Ally” was published on 3 March. Senior Hudson Institute fellow Luke Coffey and Giorgi Kandelaki, project manager at the Georgian Laboratory for Research of the Soviet Past (SovLab), wrote the study.

The authors argue that Iran’s political, religious, economic and cultural influence in Georgia has “sharply increased” in recent years. In some areas, they say, it has already taken on a “systemic” character.

The authors say this process forms part of a broader geopolitical realignment. They add that it also includes a rapprochement with Moscow.

According to their assessment, the trend also affects Georgia’s domestic political environment. It weakens democratic institutions, increases legal pressure on pro-Western media and NGOs, and undermines Georgia’s traditional partnership with the West.

Opinion: US will remember Georgian government’s stance on events in Iran

Analyst Gia Khukhashvili: “They want to build ties with the US, yet at the same time they support the Iranian regime.”

A few days after the report appeared, on 7 March, Georgia’s State Security Service summoned several politicians and experts for questioning. They included opposition politician Gubaz Sanikidze, former defence minister Tina Khidasheli, report co-author Giorgi Kandelaki and former MP Givi Targamadze, among others.

Investigators appear to link the questioning both to the Hudson Institute report and to statements these individuals made in the media. Authorities disclosed the investigation later, and officials have not clarified its details at this stage.

Hudson Institute on Georgia security probe

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