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South Caucasus News

Iranian Ambassador Warns of ‘Price’ of Aiding U.S., Day After Rubio-Kobakhidze Call


Ali Moujani, Iran’s ambassador to Georgia, warned countries of a “price” for aiding the United States in social media posts that came a day after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke in a call with Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze about “areas of mutual interest,” including “security in the Caucasus and Black Sea region.”

The ambassador published two posts on March 31: one on X and a longer one on Facebook. Hours after the Facebook post went up, his page became unavailable, while the shorter message remained accessible on X. The posts followed, but did not explicitly refer to, a March 30 call between Rubio and Kobakhidze.

In the Facebook post, Ambassador Ali Moujani wrote, “One fact about Donald Trump and American politics cannot be overlooked: when some countries, whether inadvertently or hastily, lend their space and territory to external adventurers, they sooner or later pay the price within their own borders.” He also warned that “no country is immune to the consequences of a regional crisis” and that “the crisis is much closer than it appears at first glance.”

The posts came in the fifth week of the war in the Middle East, as strikes continue in the region and most oil and gas tankers remain stalled in and around the Strait of Hormuz amid a largely blocked shipping environment driven by ongoing conflict between Iran and U.S.-Israeli forces.


Below is the English translation of a Georgian Facebook post by Ambassador Ali Moujani:

“One fact about Donald Trump and American politics cannot be overlooked: when some countries, whether inadvertently or hastily, lend their space and territory to external adventurers, they sooner or later pay the price within their own borders.

Today, the signs are clear: disruptions in export routes, capital flight, and society’s growing anxiety over the consequences of the war of attrition, as well as the risks of escalation – including the threat of nuclear weapons use by the United States – are all challenges facing the decision-makers of small countries.

Now, on the 32nd day of the war, the White House is even considering making countries south of Iran bear the costs of this conflict.

This is precisely the point where short-term decisions and miscalculations turn into long-term challenges.

Those who supported Donald Trump yesterday are now forced to pay the price for that step.

This approach is a continuation of the same policy that Joe Biden has periodically followed when opening new fronts. Today, even some NATO allies choose a ‘policy of maintaining distance from Washington.’ Pay attention to this phrase: no country is immune to the consequences of a regional crisis.

The crisis is much closer than it appears at first glance.”


In a relatively short post on X, the ambassador wrote in Persian, “Trump’s approach carries a lesson: Ceding land and space to external interventions brings the cost back home. Yesterday: disrupted exports, capital flight, and …Today: on the 32nd day of the war, discussion of shifting the costs to Iran’s southern neighbors. The crisis is closer than it appears in the mirror.”

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South Caucasus News

Iran’s envoy to Georgia: ‘No country is immune to the consequences of the regional crisis’


Statement by Iran’s ambassador to Georgia

Iran’s ambassador to Georgia, Ali Mojani, has said in a Facebook post that no country is immune to the consequences of the regional crisis.

The post is accompanied by a symbolic image—a warning on a car mirror reading “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear”—presented as a metaphor for how current events are perceived.

Ali Mojani

Ali Mojani said: “No one can ignore one fact about Donald Trump and US policy: when some countries, willingly or not, hastily give up their space and territory to external adventurers, the price is sooner or later paid within the country itself.

Today, the signs are clear: disruptions to export routes, capital outflows, and growing public anxiety over the consequences of a protracted war, as well as risks of escalation—including the threat of the United States using nuclear weapons—all of this stands before decision-makers in smaller countries.

Now, on the thirty-second day of the war [with Iran], the White House is even considering the possibility of shifting the costs of this conflict onto countries located to the south.

This is where short-term decisions and miscalculations turn into long-term challenges.

Those who yesterday aligned themselves with Donald Trump are now being forced to pay the price for that choice.”

It is not clear whether the ambassador’s statement is linked to the 30 March phone call between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

According to official information, the two sides discussed issues of mutual interest, including security in the Caucasus and the Black Sea region.

Statement by Iran’s ambassador to Georgia


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South Caucasus News

Georgian Dream Maintains Lead in Party Donations in Early 2026


The ruling Georgian Dream party received the largest share of political donations in January-February 2026, followed by opposition Lelo-Strong Georgia and the GD-affiliated People’s Power party, according to the latest data published by Georgia’s State Audit Office.

The recent figures suggest that the imbalance in donations between the ruling party and its affiliates, and the opposition parties, is continuing. In the first half of 2025, Georgian Dream had GEL 6.6 million in donations, six times more than all other parties combined, according to Transparency International – Georgia.

Official figures show that Georgian Dream received GEL 980,000 (about USD 365,700) between January 15 and February 27, from 28 donations. Among the largest contributors were Konstantine Gabisonia, Romani Abramishvili, Aleksandre Ivanishvili, and Givi Lebanidze, each of whom donated GEL 60,000 – a maximum amount a person can donate in a year. Tbilisi Mayor and the party’s secretary general, Kakha Kaladze, donated GEL 12,000 (USD 4,500).

The opposition Lelo party received GEL 146,000 (USD 54,500) between January 8 and February 19 through six donations. Major contributors included party leaders Mamuka Khazaradze, who donated GEL 60,000, and Badri Japaridze with GEL 47,000, followed by Tamar Japaridze with GEL 30,000.

Georgian Dream’s offshoot, People’s Power party, reported GEL 60,000 (USD 22,400), received through two contributions: GEL 20,000 (USD 7,500) from Zaza Berulava and GEL 40,000 (USD 14,900) from Archil Mamatsashvili.

The Freedom Square opposition party reported GEL 46,745 (USD 17,450) in donations from 44 contributors between January 1 and February 16. Among the donors were party leaders Levan Tsutskiridze, GEL 150 (USD 56), Bakur Kvashilava, GEL 1,000 (USD 373), and Simon Janashia, GEL 6,000 (USD 2,200).

Solidarity for Peace, a pro-Russian party, received four donations totaling GEL 5,288 (USD 1,970) between January 8 and February 5, all made by Mikheil Zghenti.

The opposition Coalition for Change received GEL 3,460 (USD 1,290) through nine donations between January 14 and February 23. Coalition members Maia Kopaleishvili with GEL 450 (USD 168), Marika Arevadze with GEL 700 (USD 261), and Ivane Tsereteli with GEL 900 (USD 335) were among the contributors.

Former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia reported GEL 2,371 (USD 885) in donations from January 1 to February 26, across 15 contributions. Ana Dadiani was the largest contributor, while MP Tamar (Tata) Akhvlediani donated GEL 102 (USD 38).

Ana Dolidze’s For People party received GEL 2,100 (USD 784) between January 24 and February 3 through eight donations, with Lasha Anakidze contributing the largest share at GEL 1,000 (USD 373).

The United National Movement (UNM) reported no donations during the same period. The same was true of members of the newly formed Opposition Alliance, including the Federalists, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, European Georgia and the National Democratic Party.

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South Caucasus News

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South Caucasus News

JIVA releases new version of song ‘Just Go’


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