The Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Dagestan, Abdulmuslim Abdulmuslimov, participated in the plenary session of the First Forum of Governors of the Caspian Region, which opened today in Rasht, Iran.

The session was opened by Iran's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who emphasized Iran's commitment to prioritizing cooperation with its Caspian neighbors for regional development. He characterized the Caspian Sea as holding strategic importance for Iran on par with the Persian Gulf, while also underscoring the strategic partnership between Iran and the Russian Federation.

In his address, Abdulmuslimov highlighted Iran's long-standing role as a key partner for Dagestan in both trade and humanitarian cooperation. He underscored the growing strategic importance of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), noting its potential to become a major commercial artery for transporting goods from Asia to Russia.

"Dagestan's strategic location offers significant potential for the development of this international corridor. Enhancing the use of the republican transport and logistics capabilities within the North-South corridor is a timely objective that would help increase cargo volumes between Russia and Iran" - Abdulmuslimov stated.

The partnership is underpinned by a shared maritime border on the Caspian Sea and long-standing trade and economic relations between Dagestan and Iran.