In a message to his Georgian counterpart, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad congratulated Georgia on its Independence Day, marked on May 26.

“President in the message expressed hope the two countries' relations would further expand in bilateral and international fields and to establishment of peace and justice as well as eradication of discrimination all over the world,” reads press statement posted on the Iranian President’s website on May 26.

“I seize the opportunity to ask the Almighty God for prosperity and progress of the great brotherly Georgian nation and government,” says the Iranian President in a rare message of congratulation made in connection to Georgia.

Iranian President sent a message of congratulation to Mikheil Saakashvili in 2008 in connection to his re-election as Georgia’s President; in March, 2012 Georgia was among those 38 countries whose leaders received a message of congratulation from the Iranian President in connection to Nowruz.