Iran Calls For Intl Co-op To Fight Drug Trafficking

Dushanbe, Nov 30, IRNA – Deputy Secretary-General of Iran’s Office for Combat against Narcotics called for further regional and international cooperation on combating drug trafficking. Speaking at a conference of representatives from anti-narcotics institutions of 12 countries in Tajik capital of Dushanbe, Taha Taheri underlined on role of the countries having common borders with Afghanistan for cooperation in the field of reducing the area of poppy cultivation and also opium trafficking. “This conference provides equal opportunities for neighboring countries that are involved in Afghanistan’s problem in a bid to enable them to reduce production and threats emanating from terrorism and narcotics,” Taheri said. “We are Afghanistan’s big neighbor and we have a lengthy border with this country and the countries having common border with Afghanistan can help this country to produce products other than opium and poppy through appropriate security and economic plans,” he said. He reiterated that the main threat for security and society in Iran is smuggle and transit of narcotics from Afghanistan which inflicts heavy human and financial losses on this country. “Revenues gained from transport, transit and smuggle of narcotics will result in a rise in organized crime and terrorism in Iran,” Taheri said. The participating representatives of the regional countries voiced their concern over the possibility of a rise in poppy cultivation and drug trafficking in Afghanistan after 2014./end