Georgian-Iranian relations

The relations between the Republic of Georgia and the Islamic Republic of Iran are good, although the alignment of Georgia to the west and its confrontation with Russia prevent a deepening of cooperation.

Georgia was under Persian rule until 1783. This has led to numerous cultural and linguistic similarities. Georgian poetry has strong Persian influences. A large Georgian community, which today numbers between 60,000 and 100,000 people, has lived in Fereydan near the city of Isfahan since the 17th century . Some painters at the Safavid court came from the Georgian community of what was then Persia , including Siawusch Beg , Farroch Beg and Aliqoli Jabba-Dar . Georgians also found themselves in the highest government positions of the Safavids.

Since its independence in 1991, both sides have strived for good relations and have signed a number of bilateral agreements. Georgia is trying to forge better relations with Iran as a counterbalance to Russia's influence and dependence on Turkey and Azerbaijan. Since US troops have been stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran has been dependent on Russian support and can therefore hardly pursue a policy in the Caucasus that conflicts with Russia's interests. For Tbilisi, cooperation with Iran is not without risk, because Georgia also needs the support of the US, which is hostile to Iran, in its struggle for independence in relation to Russia . For Iran, Georgia and Armenia, the extension of the Iran-Armenia natural gas pipeline would be interesting. It would make Georgia and Armenia more independent from Russia and help Iran diversify its energy exports. However, this plan meets with Russian resistance.

Although Iran is in an alliance with Russia in terms of foreign policy, it did not recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the wake of the Caucasus War in 2008 and emphasizes Georgia's territorial integrity.

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b Bernard Hourcade : Géopolitique de l'Iran . 1st edition. Armand Colin, Paris 2010, ISBN 978-2-200-35116-8 , pp. 200 .
↑ Houman A. Sadri and Omar Vera-Muñiz: Iranian relations with the South Caucasus . In: Thomas Juneau and Sam Razavi (eds.): Iranian Foreign Policy since 2001 . Routledge, Abingdon 2013, ISBN 978-0-415-82743-0 , pp. 151 .
^ ^A ^b Houman A. Sadri and Omar Vera-Muñiz: Iranian relations with the South Caucasus . In: Thomas Juneau and Sam Razavi (eds.): Iranian Foreign Policy since 2001 . Routledge, Abingdon 2013, ISBN 978-0-415-82743-0 , pp. 152 .
^ Svante E. Cornell : Azerbaijan since independence . Sharpe, Armonk, NY 2011, pp. 326 .
↑ Claude Moniquet and William Racimora: The Armenia-Iran Relationship - Strategic implication for security in the South Caucasus region . European Strategic Intelligence & Security Center, Brussels 2013, p. 28 ( esisc.org [PDF]).

[Hourcade200-1] Bernard Hourcade : Géopolitique de l'Iran . 1st edition. Armand Colin, Paris 2010, ISBN 978-2-200-35116-8 , pp. 200 .

[Sadri151-2] Houman A. Sadri and Omar Vera-Muñiz: Iranian relations with the South Caucasus . In: Thomas Juneau and Sam Razavi (eds.): Iranian Foreign Policy since 2001 . Routledge, Abingdon 2013, ISBN 978-0-415-82743-0 , pp. 151 .

[Sadri152-3] A ^b Houman A. Sadri and Omar Vera-Muñiz: Iranian relations with the South Caucasus . In: Thomas Juneau and Sam Razavi (eds.): Iranian Foreign Policy since 2001 . Routledge, Abingdon 2013, ISBN 978-0-415-82743-0 , pp. 152 .

[Cornell326-4] Svante E. Cornell : Azerbaijan since independence . Sharpe, Armonk, NY 2011, pp. 326 .

[Moniquet28-5] Claude Moniquet and William Racimora: The Armenia-Iran Relationship - Strategic implication for security in the South Caucasus region . European Strategic Intelligence & Security Center, Brussels 2013, p. 28 ( esisc.org [PDF]).