TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran's Ambassador to Russia Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi reiterated the importance of mutual cooperation between Tehran and Moscow against narcotics, specially along the two countries' borders.


Speaking at a press conference in Moscow on Tuesday, the Iranian ambassador said that Iran is seriously cooperating with Russia in campaign against narcotic drugs trafficking, adding, “It is important for us that the Caucasus region would get rid of narcotic drugs trafficking thanks to the joint efforts made by Iran and Russia.”

“Therefore, in a bilateral program in the framework of five littoral countries of the Caspian Sea, we are participating in this international campaign against narcotic drugs trafficking, as well.” Sajjadi added.

“The major part of the narcotic drugs produced in Afghanistan is smuggled into Iran, where the Iranian anti-narcotics police forces seriously encounter the traffickers,” said the Iranian diplomat.

He added that the narcotic drugs produced in Afghanistan have been recently trafficked to various destinations in the West through alternative routes in Pakistan and the Arab countries on the Southern coasts of the Persian Gulf.

“90% of the seized narcotic drugs in the world is discovered and confiscated in Iran and the strongest record in discovering the smuggled narcotic drugs in the world belongs to the Iranian police forces, which is a sign of the strong will of Iran in its campaign against such drugs trafficking," the Iranian envoy said.

Eastern Iran borders Afghanistan, which is the world's number one opium and drug producer. Iran's geographical position has made the country a favorite transit corridor for drug traffickers who intend to smuggle their cargoes from Afghanistan to drug dealers in Europe.

Iran spends billions of dollars and has lost thousands of its police troops in the war against traffickers. Owing to its rigid efforts, Iran makes 89 percent of the world's total opium seizures and has turned into the leading country in drug campaign.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Iranian police have lost more than 3700 of their personnel in the country's combat against narcotics.

In April 2012, Iran submitted three proposals to UN narcotics meeting, including the necessitated considering of a comprehensive approach towards the issue of drugs in Afghanistan which should consist of the development and strengthening of economic and social infra-structures, demolishing of laboratories which convert materials, creation of a mechanism for a serious participation and utilization of regional capacities to fight against narcotic drugs and finally, cooperation of organizations and international community with countries in front line of fight.

By Fars News Agency

 

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