Jun 12, 2019, 12:24 PM

Iran ‘likely’ to change anti-drugs strategy in intl. level

Iran ‘likely’ to change anti-drugs strategy in intl. level

TEHRAN, Jun. 12 (MNA) – State officials are of the opinion that if international community does not contribute its share in the fight against drugs and narcotics and/or fails to support Iran in this respect, the country may have to make some drastic changes in its anti-drug policy.

It is for a while that the West is threatening Iran for not paying its share in line with fighting against narcotic drugs. Instead, they [the West] only pay lip services on the unflinching and round-the-clock efforts taken by the Islamic Republic of Iran in the fight against drugs in international level.

Fighting against narcotic drugs requires applying more up-to-date facilities and equipment, most of these relevant equipment and facilities cannot be imported into the country due to the US imposition of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Even Western communities have not helped the Islamic Republic of Iran in this respect and expect Iran to support and back borders of their countries against drug trafficking.

For his part, Iran's Anti-Narcotics Police Chief Brigadier General Mohammad Massoud Zahedian an in an interview with MNA correspondent pointed to the drastic measures taken by the Islamic Republic of Iran in the fight against drugs.

He pointed to the salient achievements taken by Iran in this field and said, “Islamic Republic of Iran has been recognized as the leading country in the global level in the field of countering narcotics.”

He reiterated that the country needs more sophisticated equipment in the fight against drugs.

Turning to the role of international community in the anti-drug field, the brigadier general added, “the international community should pay its share of dealing with drugs to the Islamic Republic of Iran since Iran plays a leading role in this respect.”

Although fighting against drug trafficking activities has cost Iran a lot, the country has been strongly taking anti-narcotics measures over the past 30 years.

Zahedian added, “if international community fails to pay its share of dealing with narcotics to Iran, the country will intensify its measures drastically.”

Last year, 800 tons of narcotic drugs were discovered in borders of the country but Afghanistan, which is the main producer of drugs, only 200 tons of the drug was discovered in this country. With comparing these two statistics, it can be found that Iran is very determined to fight against drug trafficking.

Anti-drug campaign has claimed lives of about 4,000 Iranian policemen in armed clashes on border areas with Afghanistan, he added.

Eskandar Momeni Secretary General of Anti-Drug Headquarters was the other speaker who said, “according to the statistics extracted by the United Nations, 75, 61 and 17 percent of opium, morphine and heroin discoveries in the world respectively are related to the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to deal with the ill phenomenon of drug trafficking in the national and international levels but imposition of sanctions by US against Iran has created many problems ahead for the country, Momeni stated.

MA/4638548

News ID 146355

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