Georgian expert: Events surrounding Iran are perceived in Georgia as  something distant

ArmInfo.The events unfolding around Iran are a sensitive issue for Armenia and Azerbaijan, as they  border the country. However, in Georgia, Iran is viewed as a distant place.

 This opinion was expressed by Gurzin-based political scientist Archil Sikharulidze during a Yerevan- Tbilisi video  conference on the topic "How the War in Iran Will Affect the Countries of the South Caucasus." Sikharulidze commented on why the situation around Iran was not discussed actively enough during the meeting in Tbilisi between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

As a similar example, the expert noted that the war in Artsakh also  lacked relevance and importance in the Georgian information space.  "This is due to the pragmatic policies of the ruling Georgian Dream  party, which is facing serious political challenges. Georgia has been  experiencing active protests since 2024, the country is subject to  Western sanctions, and the government is facing pressure. Therefore,  many processes occurring outside the context of the Georgian  government's struggle often go unnoticed by the population.  This  explains why the prime ministers of Armenia and Georgia only made  general remarks about security and the need for peace, but there were  no serious discussions," Sikharulidze explained.

According to the expert, the events in Iran are more relevant to  Georgia in the context of protests against the Iranian government,  recalling that earlier, one of the protesters, an Iranian, attacked  the Iranian embassy in Georgia and was arrested.

"Furthermore, during the protests, some opposition-minded citizens,  self-proclaimed pro-Western, actively supported the strikes on Iran  and even unfurled a huge American flag, declaring the need for  Georgia to take a clear stance in support of Israel and the United  States. Thus, Georgia is less concerned about the war than with  domestic political issues that few people are aware of," the expert  explained.

Speaking about the likelihood of a Kurdish scenario, Sikharulidze  recalled the statement by the head of the Kurdish movement that they  were not planning an uprising. The expert called this decision  reasonable, noting that the Kurdish issue is relevant to Iraq,  Turkey, and Iran, and none of these countries is interested in the  Kurds' success at the regional level.

"Perhaps this is Plan B for US President Donald Trump, but in  reality, it doesn't suit anyone," the expert concluded.

As a reminder, on the morning of February 28, the US and Israel  attacked Iran. In response, Iran launched strikes against American  bases in the Middle East. As a result of the US-Israeli aggression,  Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking Iranian  military officials were killed. The US has so far confirmed the  deaths of six of its soldiers. According to the latest reports, an  Israeli strike on a girls' school in a province in southern Iran  killed 170 students and their teachers, and wounded dozens more.  According to HRANA, the total number of civilian deaths since the  conflict began on February 28 has reached 1,097, including 181  children under the age of ten. Another 880 reports of fatalities are  currently being verified and classified. The number of civilian  casualties since February 28 has reached 5,402, including 100  children.