Iran's envoy to Georgia: 'Support for Iran's enemies will not go unanswered'
Iranian ambassador’s press conference in Georgia
Seyed Ali Mojani, Iran‘s ambassador to Georgia, said while presenting a six-month activity report that Tehran would no longer allow territories neighbouring Iran, including those near Georgia, to serve as launch pads for military operations targeting the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Speaking at a press conference in Tbilisi, the ambassador discussed the historical ties between Iran and Georgia, regional security, Iran’s foreign policy and recent military developments.
He said the Iranian government had provided neighbouring countries, including Georgia, with detailed information through diplomatic channels about what Tehran describes as military actions carried out against Iran by the United States and Israel.
According to Mojani, Tehran has made it clear to a number of countries that “support for Iran’s enemies and providing them with opportunities to act will not go unanswered”.
He also said that military bases located in countries that pose a threat to Iran’s security could become targets under what Tehran considers its right to self-defence.
The ambassador said that over the past six months the Iranian embassy had engaged actively with both the Georgian government and Georgian society. According to Mojani, the embassy’s goal was to give the Georgian public a direct understanding of modern Iran’s policies, vision and positions.
Mojani also said he had witnessed expressions of solidarity and sympathy towards Iran within Georgian society. According to him, both political circles and parts of the public openly voiced dissatisfaction with actions taken against Iran.
A significant part of his remarks focused on the historical relationship between Iran and Georgia. The ambassador highlighted the ethnic Georgian community living in Iran, its role in the country’s political, cultural and public life, and the centuries-old ties between the two nations. He also argued that Georgian has retained more Persian loanwords than any other language spoken in the South Caucasus.
Speaking about regional security, the ambassador stressed that Iran relies on its own capabilities and that its military strength is intended to protect the country’s independence and territorial integrity. At the same time, he said that Iran “has never committed aggression against the territory of neighbouring countries” and “does not seek to become an empire”.
According to Mojani, today’s Iran is a state that makes political and security decisions based on its national interests and domestic resources. He described maintaining good-neighbourly relations as the central principle of Iran’s foreign policy.
Iranian ambassador’s press conference in Georgia