Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has expressed optimism about the future of the trilateral format between Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. Speaking at a thematic conference titled "Russian-Azerbaijani Relations in the 21st Century: Strategic Partnership in the Context of Regional Security" within the third meeting of the Russian-Azerbaijani expert council, Lavrov stated that before the COVID-19 pandemic, the trilateral format functioned successfully and has the potential for continued success. He further added that Moscow is ready to contribute to the resumption of this format and will try to help resolve issues related to the bloody attack on the diplomatic mission of Azerbaijan.

Regarding the 3+3 regional cooperation platform, Lavrov noted that preparations are underway for the second meeting. The platform was formed on the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, with support from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, only one meeting has been held under this mechanism, and Georgia has refrained from participating. Lavrov emphasized that the door remains open for Tbilisi to join, and this stance is relevant in the context of preparations for the second meeting.