NATO expansion to the east at the expense of Central and Eastern European states is of no benefit for the regional countries, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said meeting with Georgian FM Grigol Vashadze in Tehran.

“They [NATO] are ready to expend the prestige and undermine the national interests of all regional countries to serve their own interests,” Press TV quotes Iranian President.

Ahmadinejad also signified long term and good relations between Georgia and Iran, underlining that Iran is interested in maturing relations with Georgia.

In 2008 NATO member states made a decision on Georgia’s and Ukraine’s joining the alliance. December 2009, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen stated that this decision remains in force.

A.G.