Georgian official attends Iranian Embassy event commemorating those killed in Iran–Israel war

In a controversial move, Georgian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili attended a memorial event on Wednesday at the Iranian Embassy dedicated to the ‘martyrs who died during the Israeli regime’s armed attack against Iran’s territorial integrity’, the Iranian Embassy said.

Along with other attendees, Khvtisiashvili reportedly ‘made entries in the condolence book at the Embassy, expressed condolences and solidarity to Iran’, the Iranian Embassy wrote.

Referring to Khvtisiashvili and the other attendees of the event, the embassy also expressed its ‘deep thanks to our friends and partners in this difficult period for their support and empathy’.

In response to a question from RFE/RL about Khvtisiashvili’s attendance at the event and the expression of solidarity, the Israeli Embassy in Georgia said it was ‘shocked to learn’ that he had participated.

‘At a time when the West condemns Iran’s attacks on Israeli civilians and supports efforts to stop its nuclear and genocidal ambitions, it is deeply disappointing to see [Khvtisiashvili] participating in such an event. This is morally wrong’, the embassy said.

Separately, RFE/RL also asked the Georgian Foreign Ministry a similar question.

‘The Iranian Embassy sent an official note to the [Georgian] Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the opening of a book of condolences at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and a corresponding entry was made in the book of condolences opened in Tbilisi regarding the deaths of Iranian citizens’, the Georgian Foreign Ministry said.

US Representative Joe Wilson, one of the most outspoken opponents of the ruling Georgian Dream party, also took issue with Khvtisiashvili’s attendance at the event.

Georgia’s Foreign Ministry has yet to make an official statement regarding the event or the backlash from Israel.

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