Georgia has chosen not to participate in the European Union's latest sanctions against Iran, with a ruling party representative stating that such decisions are based on national interests. Several other EU candidate countries also did not join the measures.
Georgia's decision to diverge from EU foreign policy on sanctions against Iran highlights its independent foreign policy stance and potentially impacts its EU accession aspirations, as alignment with the bloc's security policies is a key criterion.
Georgia has decided not to align with the European Union's most recent sanctions imposed on Iran. The decision was communicated by Tengiz Sharmanashvili, a representative of Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party, who stated that the country's foreign policy is guided by its national interests. He emphasized that if an international measure conflicts with Georgia's interests, the country will not support it, regardless of who else backs it.
Sharmanashvili also pointed out that other EU candidate countries, such as Turkey and Serbia, have similarly not joined the latest EU sanctions against Iran. The EU's updated sanctions regime involves amending restrictions on individuals and organizations, and also addresses Iran's military support for armed groups in various regions. While countries like Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Ukraine did join the EU measures, Georgia did not.
Reports indicate a decline in Georgia's alignment with the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, falling to 40% by October 2025 from 53% in 2024. The Georgian Foreign Ministry has not yet provided an official explanation for the country's non-participation.