Azerbaijan Imposes Restrictions For Iranians Traveling To Georgia

Baku, Dec 29, IRNA – Azerbaijan Republic border officials in an unexpected move blocked the path of the Iranian citizens who intended to travel to Georgia through that country’s border on Saturday. The Iranian consular office in Iran’s embassy in Azerbaijan confirming the occurrence of the restriction for the Iranian citizens at the Azeri-Georgian border, advised the Iranians who intend to travel to Georgia that if they do not have that country’s visas, till further notice choose a path other than Azarbaijan Republic to avoid the occurrence of this problem. The informed sources here predict that the move made by Azerbaijan Republic border officials might be due to Georgian officials’ request. Several Iranian tourists who intended to enter Georgia through Azerbaijan faced the refraining of the Azeri officials from permitting them to do so if they did not have the Georgian visas. Formerly the Georgian visas were issued upon arrival of the tourists in their soil, including through the Azerbaijan Republic borders, for all tourists, including for the Iranians. The Iranian citizens who faced the unexpected rejection on Saturday told IRNA, “We were accompanying some Azeri friends of ours in a work trip to Georgia through Azerbaijan Republic border with that republic. Our Azeri friends passed the border trouble-free, but we were not permitted to pass.” They said that nobody even offered any explanation, and they were urged to wait for long hours outside the transit hall in the cold weather of the region./end