On June 16, representatives of Azerbaijan, Iran, and Russia agreed to establish a working group dedicated to cargo transportation within the North-South international transport corridor. The agreement led to border and customs terminal inspections along the Russian-Azerbaijani and Azerbaijan-Iranian borders.

Andrey Tanayev, a member of the Russian delegation and representative of the Dagestan government at the Russian trade mission in Iran, informed about the outcomes of the tripartite meeting held in Darband. "We held a tripartite meeting between the delegations of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran at the expert level in Darband, where customs and border posts were inspected," he stated. Tanayev explained that the meeting was planned following an agreement with Iran in February 2024 during a session of the Russian-Iranian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation in Tehran, chaired by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak and Iranian Oil Minister Javad Ouji. He added, "We also reached a bilateral agreement with the Azerbaijani side," highlighting prior discussions between Russian and Iranian representatives on general issues before the tripartite meeting.

Describing operational efficiency at the Yarag-Kazmalyar checkpoint, Tanayev noted, "At the Yarag-Kazmalyar checkpoint, everything happens on a one-stop basis - you present the documents, they prepare them and give them to the driver within 30-40 minutes, and the car leaves." He underscored the significance of the expert group's meeting, noting it was the first of its kind in nearly a decade and involved 27 participants, with 9 from each side.

Notably, Moscow sees potential for the North-South Corridor to serve as an alternative to the Suez Canal, offering a direct transit route between Europe, Russia, and the Persian Gulf (Kangar Gulf). The corridor, which passes through Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran, currently handles most truck transportation.