•  un ited nations
• Tuesday, July 19, 2011
• Inter Press Service

Iran’s extreme rate of seizures of opium and heroin spurs a meeting between Yury Fedotov, executive director of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to discuss counter- narcotics efforts.

Fedotov arrived in Tehran on a three-day official visit. This visit will also include the borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan.

According to the UNODC World Drug Report 2011, an estimated 145 metric tons of heroin was trafficked from Afghanistan into Iran. This includes heroin for public consumption and further trafficking.

The report also mentioned that Iran accounts for 89% of opium seizures and 41% of heroin/morphine worldwide. These are the highest rates in the world.

A reported 40% of opiate users in Iran consume opium, with the rest mainly consuming heroin. Drug trafficking and related crimes present severe obstacles to regional and international security.

Aware of the risks of drug trafficking and consumption, Iran devotes millions of dollars to counter-narcotics programmes annually. Border control involves thousands of officers whose job it is to prevent trafficking.

'The Islamic Republic of Iran has put in place one of the world’s strongest counter-narcotic responses', Fedotov said, praising the Government for the programmes and measure it is willing to take to end this trade.

Unfortunately, in their courageous efforts over the last 30 years, over 3,700 police officers have been killed and tens of thousands injured. These tragic events highlight the severity of the problem, and the need for a timely solution. 'I pay tribute to those who have perished and express my deepest sympathies to their families,' said Fedotov, 'The sacrifices made by these brave men are helping us all to stem the tide of drugs'. Such efforts demand international recognition.

Fedotov also commended the Government on its willingness and initiative in the UN-brokered Triangle Initiative. The Triangular Initiative is part of the Rainbow Strategy, created according to the Paris Pact, a UNODC-initiated partnership of more than 50 member states and organisations intended to decrease the availability, demand and trafficking of Afghan opiates.

This year, UNODC launched a four-year Country Programme of Technical Cooperation on Drugs and Crime. This programme was created together with the Iranian Drug Control Headquarters and international partners. The Executive Director of UNODC urges the international community to 'support Iranian anti- narcotics measures'.

© Inter Press Service (2011) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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