Nearly 13,000 Iranian companies are registered in Georgia, with many linked to a few addresses, raising concerns about sanctions evasion. Iranian firms reportedly use Georgia as a transit point to bypass international sanctions, with some of the companies linked to Iran’s armed forces. Trade between Georgia and Iran has grown, and Iran now supplies a significant share of Georgia’s domestic market for some products, including dates and raisins. Thousands of Iranian businesses in Georgia are registered to only a handful of addresses, often with no physical operations.
According to Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, nearly 13,000 Iranian companies are registered in Georgia — to only a handful of addresses — raising concerns that Tehran could be using the South Caucasus country to skirt international sanctions.
The Iranian businesses listed in Georgia are involved in everything from construction and logistics to hospitality and even night clubs, according to public records seen by RFE/RL’s Georgian Service.
The number of Iranian companies registered in Georgia has surged over the past decade, coinciding with the imposition of international sanctions on the Islamic republic over its disputed nuclear program.
The measures restrict foreign individuals, companies and governments from sending or receiving funds from Iran. Violators can be subject to stiff penalties and even criminal prosecution.
Iranian companies became active in Georgia starting around 2009. There was a surge in the number of registrations of Iranian companies in Georgia from 2012 and 2019, overlapping with the implementation of tough international sanctions on Tehran.
At the time, media reports linked some of the Iranian companies to the US-designated Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) — a powerful branch of the Iranian armed forces that plays a significant role in the economy — suggesting these businesses offered Tehran indirect access to Western markets.
Nearly 700 Iranian companies are registered at a single residential building in Tbilisi with no trace of on site activity. The listed activities of the businesses range from logistics and tourism to jewelry, livestock, and information technology, although no physical evidence of these companies exists.
Over 2,000 Iranian businesses in Georgia are registered at three addresses.
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