WASHINGTON, D.C. —John P. Walters, President of Hudson Institute, expressed serious concern over the decision by the Georgian State Security Service to launch an investigation following the publication of a Hudson report on growing Iranian influence in Georgia, co-authored by Senior Fellow Luke Coffey and Giorgi Kandelaki.
Walters said, “The report is a Hudson Institute publication produced in accordance with the Institute’s research standards. The report is based on verified information that is publicly available, as noted throughout the report’s endnote citations, and Hudson Institute stands firmly behind its findings.
“This report should serve as a wake-up call—especially at a time when Iran serves as the destabilizing force in the region. Rather than investigating the authors of the report, Georgian authorities should be concerned by its findings, which rely overwhelmingly on publicly accessible information that the authorities should already be aware of.
“The report outlines a clear and systematic picture of the expanding influence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Georgia. This development runs counter to the interests of both Georgia and the United States and warrants serious attention.”
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