Georgia defeats Netherlands with bonus point at European Rugby Championship

“When Documents Speak Louder Than Politics” – writes the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Georgia, Seyed Ali Mojani. One of my main interests during the relatively short period of my diplomatic mission in Tbilisi has been the study of the history and archival documents of Iran–Georgia relations. Almost every weekend, I systematically familiarize myself with historical sources. Recently, I completed a renewed examination of a document from the Georgian National Archives dated March 26, 1705, belonging to the Safavid era. The document concerns a legal dispute related to one of the bathhouses in Tbilisi. The bathhouse had previously belonged to the Georgian Orthodox Church, and the income derived from it was used to support the livelihood of monks in a monastery. At some point, a state official, invoking Islamic waqf motives, transferred the bathhouse into his ownership. The Patriarch of the Georgian Church challenged this action. Following his complaint, the matter was reviewed at the Iranian royal court. The Shiite Shah of the Safavid dynasty, having determined the claim to be unfounded, issued an order from Isfahan that the bathhouse be immediately confiscated from the said individual and returned to the Georgian Orthodox Church, and that its revenues once again be used for church needs according to the previous arrangement. This example is not presented to evaluate the past, but to emphasize the necessity of a documentary and multidimensional understanding of history. Assessing Safavid rule in Georgia requires serious scholarly research based on authentic sources, as well as joint cooperation between Iranian and Georgian researchers. Only through such an approach is it possible to form a unified, scientific, and reliable narrative and to avoid stereotypes, accusations, and ideological interpretations. History is not a space for political verdicts; it is a field for understanding human experience within the context of time — an experience shaped simultaneously by geographical and climatic factors, as well as by structures of power. Only by taking these complexities into account can a historian properly perceive the past. As the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Georgia, and as someone with many years of research experience in the history of Iran and its neighboring countries, I believe the time has come to initiate a deep academic dialogue between our two countries. The creation of joint research mechanisms, particularly historical research committees, would facilitate the systematic study of archives and strengthen a shared historical narrative on a scientific basis. A documentary and comprehensive understanding of the past is necessary not to repeat traumas, but to raise the awareness of future generations and to strengthen coexistence, social resilience, and cooperation. The future relations between Iran and its neighbors cannot be built on the appropriation of cultural heritage or emotional interpretations of the past; they can only be shaped on the foundation of profound understanding, academic dialogue, and a responsible attitude toward our shared human experience. If we allow the archives to speak, politics will be compelled to refrain from hasty judgments and submit to historical understanding. This, perhaps, will be the first step toward creating a more rational, humane, and sustainable future in our region.

“We are grateful to our Georgian friends that they provide very important transit after the goods reach Azerbaijan to Armenia through Georgia,” said President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, at the Munich Security Conference (MSC).Ilham Aliyev focused on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) and remarked that it will be “beneficial to all countries since they will be more politically and economically integrated.”“We lifted all the restrictions on the transportation of cargo through Azerbaijan, and we are grateful to our Georgian friends that they provide very important transit after the goods reach Azerbaijan to Armenia through Georgia.We also started supplying oil products for Armenia, which is a critical product for them and thus actually started mutual trade. From the point of view of the peace deal we signed, everything depends on when Armenia’s constitution is amended in order to detect the territorial claim to Azerbaijan which existed for three decades and the next day after it is done, the peace agreement will be formally signed.In the meantime, the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) will also play an instrumental role in creating new connectivity links, and as I already said, the transportation route from China, Central Asia, Transcaspian, Azerbaijan, Armenia-Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Iran and further down to Europe will create an absolutely new situation. It will be beneficial to all countries. All the countries on the route will be more politically and economically integrated, and this will be another contribution to long-lasting and eternal peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia because peace can be achieved when you really have a peaceful process. Signing the document is important, its foundation, but nonetheless important is what you do after,” he said.

“Specific individuals are serving prison sentences for grave crimes. We have gone through five attempts of organizing a revolution in the past years,” said Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in a live broadcast of Imedi ITV during debates on education reform.In an address to the Associate Professor and a member of the Freedom Square movement, Simon Janashia, the Prime Minister said that young people were involved in violent activities.“As for the issue of prisoners, I would like to remind everyone that specific individuals are serving prison sentences, and this was a grave crime. We have gone through five attempts of organizing a revolution for the past few years. We witnessed violent attempts involving people, and you are responsible for this. You sent these youngsters to the front line in these violent rallies, and now you sit comfortably in this chair. You bear responsibility for that,” he said.

Recalling historical dates — whether painful or joyful — serves neither to glorify nor to justify anyone; its purpose is understanding. We are not responsible for the policies, wars, and decisions of eras in which we ourselves did not live; however, we are fully responsible for how we engage with this historical experience today. The task of historiography is not to deliver moral verdicts, but to document and reconstruct human experience: how societies managed, amid forced displacement, political violence, and geopolitical confrontations, to preserve their language, collective memory, traditions, and social life. A historian who, instead of reflecting on the complexities of coexistence and cultural exchange, limits himself solely to issuing political judgments turns history into an ideological instrument. Power — whether in the 17th century or the 21st — rarely concerns itself with human fate; therefore, it depends on us, through dialogue, research, and documented narrative, to prevent the repetition of past traumas, strengthen social resilience, nurture hope, and sustain the possibility of coexistence. History does not exist to shame others, but to make us more responsible. This was written on social media by the Ambassador of Iran to Georgia, Seyed Ali Mojani.

According to Trump, Orbán works tirelessly to defend Hungary, grow the economy, create jobs, promote trade, stop illegal immigration, and ensure law and order. The U.S. President also wished him success in the parliamentary elections and expressed hope that Orbán would win. “Hungary’s highly respected Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is truly a strong and powerful leader with a proven track record of delivering phenomenal results. He fights tirelessly, loves his great country and its people, just as I love the United States of America. Viktor works hard to defend Hungary, grow the economy, create jobs, promote trade, stop illegal immigration, and ensure law and order! Relations between Hungary and the United States have reached new heights of cooperation, and remarkable achievements during my administration were largely made possible thanks to Prime Minister Orbán. I look forward to continuing our close cooperation so that both our countries can move forward on this tremendous path toward success and partnership. I was proud to support Viktor in his re-election in 2022, and it is a great honor to do so once again. Viktor Orbán is a true friend, a fighter, and a winner, and he has my full support for re-election as Prime Minister of Hungary — he will never disappoint the great people of Hungary!” Trump wrote. For reference, Hungary’s parliamentary elections will be held on April 12.