Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Yerevan on Friday. In the meeting, which came as tensions in the Middle East continue, Iran’s leader Masoud Pezeshkian called for more concrete cooperation with Georgia.
In a statement published on the Iranian president’s official website, Pezeshkian called for a clear framework and a time-bound action plan to strengthen relations between Tehran and Tbilisi. He highlighted growing economic, cultural, and tourism ties and called for more concrete cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting came as the US–Israeli war against Iran continues.
Pezeshkian criticised US sanctions against Iran, describing them as contrary to humanitarian principles, and condemned recent attacks on Iran as unjustifiable and inhumane.
He said Iran was not seeking nuclear weapons and rejected what he described as false propaganda against the country. Pezeshkian added that Tehran remained ready for dialogue but would not submit to pressure.
In a separate statement, the Georgian government’s press service said the two leaders had discussed existing bilateral relations and highlighted positive cooperation in tourism.
Kobakhidze reiterated the importance of dialogue and diplomatic efforts to deescalate regional tensions and secure lasting peace.
In a post on X, Kobakhidze said he had discussed bilateral relations and the situation in the Middle East with Pezeshkian, adding that Georgia firmly supported diplomatic efforts to resolve regional conflicts peacefully.
‘We discussed current bilateral relations between Georgia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as the situation in the Middle East. I reiterated that Georgia firmly supports diplomatic efforts toward the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the region’, Kobakhidze wrote.
The Iranian Embassy in Tbilisi also made a statement, saying the two leaders had discussed cooperation and relations between their countries.
During the meeting, Kobakhidze said Georgia maintained clear positions towards neighbouring countries and opposed foreign intervention in their domestic affairs, the Iranian president’s website reported. He also pointed to the countries’ geographical and cultural ties, expressing hope that coordination between their foreign ministries and diplomatic services would help identify areas for cooperation, particularly in the economy and tourism.
US Representative Joe Wilson, a vocal opponent of Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party, condemned the meeting in a post on X, calling Iran a ‘terrorist state’ and accusing the Georgian Dream government of hostility towards the US. He described the encounter as an ‘insult to President [Donald] Trump’ and said Georgians wanted ‘freedom and prosperity’ rather than what he called a ‘death cult’ in their neighbourhood.