TBILISI, October 1 – Georgia summoned Iran’s ambassador after a social media post about Queen Ketevan triggered unusually broad criticism in Tbilisi, with politicians from both the government and opposition accusing the diplomat of going beyond his role.
Iranian Ambassador Seyed Ali Moujani had projected an image of Queen Ketevan onto the facade of the Iranian Embassy in Tbilisi and said he would soon publish the results of his own preliminary research into the queen and historical documents kept in Iran and Georgia. He said there were different accounts surrounding the historical memory and underlined that what he planned to publish would be his personal assessment rather than an official Iranian version or a final judgment.
The ambassador’s statement was widely criticized on Tuesday, from both sides of the deep political divide.
Georgian Dream MP Aluda Ghudushauri said nobody could change or present Georgia’s history differently and predicted a response from the Foreign Ministry. Fellow ruling-party MP Irakli Kadagishvili said the ambassador’s historical interpretations were irrelevant to his diplomatic work and urged him to remain within his professional mandate.
Opposition politician Grigol Gegelia of the Lelo party went further, calling the projection of Queen Ketevan’s image a manipulation of Georgian national sentiment. He accused the ambassador of touching on a highly sensitive issue and criticized the Georgian government’s handling of relations with foreign states.
The criticism continued on Wednesday, with Levan Makhashvili, chairman of parliament’s European Integration Committee, saying the ambassador’s comments did not fit within the bounds of diplomatic activity and warned that such statements could damage both Iran’s reputation and bilateral relations.
Opposition politician Aleko Elisashvili, speaking from court, called for the ambassador to be expelled and forced to apologize.
Later Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry summoned Moujani. Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili told him that his social media statements went beyond the scope of diplomatic activity and were negatively affecting public sentiment. The ministry said diplomats accredited in Georgia should stay within their mandate, observe established diplomatic norms and refrain from interpreting the host country’s history and internal affairs.
Khvtisiashvili expressed hope that Iran would take appropriate steps and that similar incidents would not be repeated, warning that otherwise Georgia might have to consider further measures.
