IMF Warns Iran War Threatens Georgia's 5% 2026 Growth as Iranian Tourist Arrivals Fall 49%
Jul 11, 2026
The International Monetary Fund said in its Article IV concluding statement that Georgia's economy remains on track for 5 percent growth in 2026, but warned the Iran war could weigh on that outlook through damage to tourism and energy. First-quarter 2026 data showed Iranian visitor arrivals to Georgia fell 49 percent year on year to 13,757, while revenue from Iranian tourists dropped 64 percent to 10 million dollars. Arrivals from Israel also declined 17.5 percent. Galt & Taggart, the investment arm of the Bank of Georgia, cut its 2026 tourism revenue forecast for the country from 5 billion to 4.9 billion dollars.
Source
Business Media Georgia (BM.ge)
Related news
September Food Coupon to Charge in Three Rounds, First Round Activates on September 6
According to Khabaronline, the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare's latest announcement keeps the September (Shahrivar 1405) food coupon credit at 1 million tomans per person, charged in three rounds based on the last digit of the household head's national ID number: digits 0, 1 and 2 activate on 15 Shahrivar (September 6), digits 3 through 6 on 25 Shahrivar (September 16), and digits 7 through 9 on 5 Mehr (September 27). Ministry officials stressed that a charge made on 5 Shahrivar related to the previous round and should not be confused with the new one, and that no income decile has been removed from the program. Per the report, the coupon credit cannot be withdrawn as cash and can only be used at authorized stores. The head of parliament's social affairs committee has said raising the credit from 1 million to 2 million tomans is under consideration, but until it is formally approved and announced, the September payment remains based on the current 1 million toman per household member amount.
Khabaronline · Sep 5, 2026
Licensed Foreign Investment in Semnan Province Tops $628 Million Over the Past Year
According to Khabaronline, citing Khabara Semnan news agency, Mohammad Reza Kazemi, head of the investment services center at Semnan province's economic affairs and finance department, said 21 companies received new investment licenses in the province over the past year and one company raised its capital by 2.2 million dollars, bringing the combined total to more than 628 million dollars. Kazemi said 19 foreign companies attracted 2.55 million dollars in the same period, registered with Iran's Organization for Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance. He said the licensed investor companies come from countries across Asia, Europe and the Americas, calling the diversity a sign of favorable investment conditions in Semnan province.
Khabar Online, citing Khabaronline, via Khabara Semnan · Sep 5, 2026
Witkoff and Kushner Head to Moscow and Kyiv With a Plan to End the Ukraine War
According to Al Jazeera, US President Donald Trump said at the White House on Friday, September 4, 2026 (13 Shahrivar 1405), that his special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, his son in law, would travel to Kyiv and Moscow this weekend to try to revive peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. Trump said the two are bringing an idea for peace but did not disclose details, adding there may be a good chance of reaching a deal. Citing Russia's TASS news agency, Al Jazeera reported Witkoff and Kushner would be in Moscow on Saturday and Sunday, their first visit since January. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the pair would be in Kyiv on Sunday. Russian President Vladimir Putin had earlier described the talks as frozen, and both sides have continued to escalate air attacks, with Russia striking Ukraine's SBU security service headquarters on Friday, wounding at least 12 people according to Kyiv's mayor. Khabaronline also confirmed on Saturday, September 5, with published footage, that the two envoys had arrived in Moscow.
Al Jazeera · Sep 5, 2026
Turkey Announces Restart of a Nuclear Research Reactor in Istanbul
According to Khabaronline, citing ISNA and Russia's RIA Novosti, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said authorities expect to soon restart the TR-2 research reactor in Istanbul. He said nuclear research and material testing would resume there shortly, and that results of theoretical studies would become observable in laboratories and research centers. The TR-2 research reactor, located at Turkey's Energy, Nuclear and Mineral Research Institute in western Istanbul, has received a new operating license after a long pause. Another research reactor is located at Istanbul Technical University. The news comes amid Turkey's plans to expand civilian nuclear infrastructure, as countries in the region seek to diversify their energy sources.
Khabaronline, citing ISNA and RIA Novosti · Sep 5, 2026